This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 16, May 29-June 4, 2005
Military Behind
Mayor’s Killing – NPA
Government investigators are
yet to name the suspected killers of the Sta. Rosa mayor but the military has
already accused the New People’s Army of the killing. The NPA in turn has its
own theory.
By DENNIS ESPADA SANTA ROSA CITY, Laguna –
The Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group
(PNP-CIDG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the city police here
admitted that they are yet to identify those responsible for the killing of
Mayor Pantaleon Arcillas three weeks ago. Precise operation According to Alcantara,
this was carried out "to foment violent attacks against the legal democratic
movement" in the Southern Tagalog region and “to implicate them outright in
fabricated terrorist activities." © 2004 Bulatlat
■
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Bulatlat
Popularly known for his nickname Leon (lion), Arcillas and his security aide,
Erwin Rivera, were gunned gown by unknown assailants shortly after officiating a
mass wedding inside the new city hall building here, some 38 kms south of
Manila.
According to progressive organizations in Laguna, Arcillas was involved in
"anti-people" activities in the city such as massive election fraud, graft and
corruption, trade union repression and violent demolition of shanties of urban
poor dwellers in Barangay Pulong, Sta. Cruz town from 2002 to 2003.
Newly-installed Mayor Jose Catindig Jr. offered P1 million ($18,382.35, based on
an exchange rate of P54.40 per US dollar) as reward money for the suspects'
arrest.
Military and police authorities blamed the New People's Army (NPA) for the
killing of Arcillas. However, the NPA's Melito Glor Command (MGC-NPA) based in
Southern Tagalog has tagged the military as the “brains" behind the murder.
In a statement however MGC-NPA spokesman Tirso Alcantara (also known as Ka Bart;
ka is a Filipino word for comrade) said that Arcillas' assassination was a
"calculated operation" of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines-Internal Security Group (ISAFP-ISG).
The MGC-NPA also accused the ISAFP-ISG of conniving with a city councilor and a
barangay captain to carry out the killing of urban poor leader and Gabriela
Women's Party coordinator Mely Trinidad-Carvajal in August 2004.
"The military is hard put to make it appear that the NPA carried out the killing
in retaliation for the murder of Carvajal," Alcantara said.
The killer suspects, he said, are said to be confidential agents of the ISAFP.
Alcantara added, "They scoop millions from the bribes of the capitalists. Now
that Arcillas is gone, the brothers will corner the bureaucrat spoils."
The MGC-NPA as well as the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) urged the
people to remain vigilant and militant in defending their democratic rights and
civil liberties against "violent attacks from the military." Bulatlat