Family of slain doctor seeks justice

COTABATO CITY --- The family of slain eye specialist Dr. Shahid “Jaja” Sinolinding cries for justice few days after he wasshot deadtogether with his bodyguard last April 18 in his clinic at the Cotabato City Doctors’ Clinic along Sinsuat Avenue – highway.

Representing the family, Dr. Kadil “Jojo” M. Sinolinding, Jr., regional health secretary of the Department of Health in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,  in a statement said that his brother, Dr. Jaja, has “no grudge” with anyone as he is a peace-loving citizen.

“We believe that justice will be served. We believe in the responsible agencies handling this case,” Dr. Kadil said.

Dr. Kadil expressed dismayafter learning that the medical facility’s CCTV cameras failed to capture the events before and after the murder.

“We find it confusing that all other events inside the clinic were recorded except the minutes or seconds before and after Dr. Jaja and his bodyguard were killed,” said Dr. Kadil.

According to police report, the gunmanwho posed as a patient,fired a pistol at Sinolinding first and turned on his security escort, whom he shot repeatedly before he fled casually amid the commotion.

Dr. Kadil revealed that the closest motive of the killing isrelated to the problem with a school in Arakan, North Cotabato.

“Dr. Jaja is only a collateral damage. My older brother, Professor Harris Sinolinding, also survived an ambush last year after he exposed corruption at the Cotabato Foundation College of Science and Technology CFCST) in Arakan town,” he said.

P/Senior Inspector Alexander de Pedro, Police Station 2 chief and city police spokesperson, said they are still on the “investigation process of the case.”

“We’re gathering affidavits of witnesses and compare theseif they delivered their statements the same with each other. We are also looking at possible manipulation of the CCTV where it appeared the suspect had jammed the video signal,” said De Pedro.

The Sinolinding siblings are known for their medical missions, giving free eye operations to indigent patients.

Amidmourning, Dr. Kadil appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to order an investigation on the murder case as well as the alleged corruption at theCFCST.

Meanwhile, City Vice Mayor Graham Nazer Dumama also condemned the killing of the eye doctor.

“We are always addressing peace and order and this affects our efforts of sustaining a peaceful Cotabato City,” the vicemayor said. (GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA- MINDANAO EXPOSE’)