Koko condemns killing of Mindanao University president; seeks swift justice for the victim

Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III today condemned in the "strongest terms" the killing of University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) president Ricardo Rotoras of Cagayan de Oro City.

In a statement, Pimentel asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies to exert and exhaust all efforts to quickly arrest the suspected killers and unmask their mastermind in what he described as "dastardly act."

"I am alarmed and outraged by this latest attack on our law abiding and dedicated public servants. I urge the police to work double time to arrest the killers and unmask the mastermind," said Pimentel, who is also from Cagayan de Oro City.

Police said Rotoras, 48, was shot by unidentified assailants early Saturday morning outside his house at Golden Glow North Subdivision in Barangay Carmen in Cagayan de Oro City. He was declared dead from multiple wounds upon arrival at a nearby hospital.

"We are a peace-loving society and killings of this nature must be stopped. The police must do its job to protect and secure the people against rouge elements of society," said Pimentel.

The Filipino people, he said, is seeking swift justice for the victim, who is described by his co-workers and friends at the USTP as a "workaholic."

Pimentel said Rotoras was a "big loss" to the people of Cagayan de Oro City, noting that he served as head of the USTP since 2006 and was elected president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) for the fourth consecutive term.