EV
Groups Slam Task Force Usig Report,
Demand Justice for Slain Activists
Ex-PNP
chief in EV ‘surprised’ by Task Force Usig findings
“We are appalled by the statement of the Task
Force Usig branding the people’s martyrs and heroes, who died protecting
and upholding the interests of the masses, as ‘thieves’ only to cover up
the inutility of the government to solve these cases of political
assassinations in the regions,” said Bayan-Eastern Visayas spokesperson
Flor Pong Acbo, reacting to Task Force Usig’s report on the killings of
local activist leaders Felidito Dacut, Rev. Edison Lapuz, and Pax Diaz.
BY JOHANN HEIN BENUSA ARPON
Bulatlat
Slain pastor Edison
Lapuz |
“We are appalled by the statement of the Task Force Usig
branding the people’s martyrs and heroes, who died protecting and
upholding the interests of the masses, as ‘thieves’ only to cover up the
inutility of the government to solve these cases of political
assassinations in the region.”
These were the words of Flor Pong Acbo, spokesperson of the
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) in the region
– referring to the task force’s supposed findings on the killings of
lawyer Felidito Dacut, Bayan Muna (People First) regional coordinator;
Rev. Edison Lapuz, chairman of Katungod-Sinirangan Bisayas, the
regional chapter of Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s
Rights);
Atty. Norman Bocar (Bayan-Eastern Visayas) and
Pax Diaz, chairperson of the Confederation for the Unity, Recognition
and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) in Eastern Visayas.
|
Dacut, Lapuz, Bocar and Diaz are among the 730 victims of
extra-judicial executions since 2001 as documented by Karapatan.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) Task Force Usig headed
by Gen. Avelino Razon, which is tasked to look into the extra-judicial
killings of activists and journalists, has recently stated that Dacut,
Lapuz, and Diaz were all slain because they committed “financial
opportunism” against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Task
Force Usig’s supposed findings on the killings of the three Eastern
Visayas activist leaders were released on Aug. 21 and published in major
newspapers.
“The three assassinated personalities were very good
leaders of the people and have no tarnished records in their stint with
militant and progressive groups,” Acbo said. “They lived a simple life but
pursued a resolute determination of serving the struggling masses.”
Even the former PNP regional director, retired Gen.
Dionesio B. Coloma, was surprised by the report of the task force. In an
interview with local media, he was quoted as saying, “I am surprised by
the findings of the Task Force Usig printed over the Malaya that
the killing of
Attorney Dacut and Fr. Edison were due to the financial opportunism
(against) the CPP-NPA. I led the investigations then and this was not part
of the result.”
Previously, the PNP investigating team headed by Coloma
reported that “the modus operandi of Attorney Dacut’s killers has
the trademark of the perpetrators in the
killing of Samuel Bandilla as it had been executed (from) a moving
vehicle.” The same modus operandi was also established for the rest
of the assassinations in the region that followed.
Another threat
Acbo also expressed his alarm over the Task Force Usig
report, which dragged his name in the issue. “Last January, a Flor ‘Jun’
Acbo confronted Diaz on the issue of financial opportunism,” the report
stated.
Acbo said that nothing of the sort happened. He further
viewed this as an open threat of arrest or another political
assassination. Past victims of political killings were Red-smeared before
being killed, Acbo recalled.
“Bogus” report
It can be remembered that at least five task forces were
formed in light of the killings in Eastern Visayas before the formation of
Task Force Usig. Previously, the PNP in Eastern Visayas launched one task
force each for the killings of Bandilla, Dacut, Lapuz, Bocar and Diaz.
However, none of the task forces prospered and the cases all remain
unsolved
.
“It seems that Task Force Usig only collected unverified
data from the local task forces and made a cruel script of blaming the
Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to
cover up the leads directed toward the state apparatus,” Acbo observed.
In a press statement, the Promotion of Church People’s
Response (PCPR) commented, “It is deplorable that Razon and his ‘reliable
informers’ grossly distorted the characters of Reverend Lapuz, Attorney
Dacut and Diaz, who were actually admired for their work for the poor and
consistent activism for human rights and social justice.”
Who are the
perpetrators?
“Accounts of witnesses linked military men, intelligence
assets and even the police to the killing of leader-activists,” Acbo said.
“Also, the public pronouncements of the AFP-PNP, appearing in such works
as Knowing the Enemy and the book Trinity of War support the
claim that the military is out to destroy progressive legal
organizations.”
Katungod-SB, a human rights group, conducted its own
investigations on the series of political killings in the region. “During
our investigations, we unearthed vital information which directly linked
military men to the killings of our leaders,” Alex Lagunzad, Katungod-SB
secretary-general, said.
“A certain military man named Soledad was named respondent
in the killing of Samuel Bandilla, Anakpawis-EV coordinator; a certain
Lieutenant Fronda was apprehended by police near the Bayan Muna office
days before Attorney Dacut was assassinated; a Lieutenant Mangohon
conducted a surveillance operation at his house for a week before Rev.
Edison Lapuz was killed; and just recently two military men of which one
was identified as Pfc. Ronald Real of the 34th IB PA was apprehended in a
police checkpoint after the assassination of Courage-EV chair Paquito
Diaz,” Lagunzad explained.
“The omission of this information from their report may be
deliberate in order to cover-up the direct involvement of military and
police officials and the embattled president as the commander-in-chief of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” he added.
A cover-up plan
“Task Force Usig is barking at the wrong tree and twisting
at the wrong turn. How can they simply ignore vital circumstantial
evidence to resolve these political killings in the region?” Lagunzad
elaborated. “Usig” in the Winaray language is equivalent to the
onomatopoeic sound of the barking dogs.
”Blaming it all on the rebels is just another clever tactic
to free Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from responsibility as commander-in-chief
of the AFP and PNP in these inhumane acts committed against her staunch
critics,” Acbo said.
Quest for
justice
Acbo further said, “Bayan does not expect the truth and
justice to come out in the Arroyo-created PNP Task Force. They have laid
down the verdict even before the start of the investigation. It is no
surprise that a bogus government would come up with a bogus investigation
result.”
“We insist that Task Force Usig be immediately dismantled
as it can only come up with obvious cover up and outrageous lies that
discredit the victims and exonerate the real perpetrators from the ranks
of the military,” Acbo said. “The families and friends of the victims will
not wish to hear any more cover-up and distortions from the government."
Both Lagunzad and Acbo agreed that the quest for justice
for the victims of the political killings as well as their families must
be pursued more “resolutely” than it was before.
Bulatlat
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