Evidence presented in court and not noisy pickets will solve the killing of a peasant leader shot dead last week in Davao City.
This piece of advise was hurled at a farmers association by the Army 10th Infantry Division, which accused the military as behind the killing of Celso Pojas, former secretary general of the Farmers Association and spokesman of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in Southern Mindanao.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) should stop shouting in the streets and prove this accusation in court, said from Lt. Col. Rolando Bautista, 10th ID spokesman, in a statement furnished Davao City media. KMP Southern Mindanao leader Pedro Arnado accused the military as behind the Pojas murder at a mass rally in Davao City this week that denounced the killing.
The Army division denied its elements were behind the killing.
“The 10th ID operates within the bounds of the law and has nothing to gain if they will kill Pojas. It has become the pattern of left-leaning organizations to put the blame on the military whenever a person is killed even though there is no sufficient evidence to support their claim. Apparently, the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) is continuously implementing its strategy of United front Work (UFW). UFW is when peasants, workers, women, youth, children and cultural activities are organized and mobilized to ensure sustained all around mass support for its Protracted People’s War,” it said.
Bautista said the 10th ID, would cooperate in the investigation and will make available any soldier to the authorities if he is found to be involved in the said killing.
Pojas, who helped organize farmers in Compostela Valley mount mass actions denouncing military operations against communist rebels, was gunned down near his farmers center in Ma-a, Davao City on May 12.
Filed under: NEW PEOPLES ARMY, NPA, children in war, compostala valley, davao city, farmers | Tagged: celso pojas, Human Rights, KMP, Military
