“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.com)

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