This story was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. VI, No. 17, June 12, 2006


 

NE Peasant Leader Shot Dead

BY ABNER BOLOS
Gitnang Luson News Service
Posted by Bulatlat   9:45 a.m., June 12, 2006

A peasant leader was shot dead by motorcycle-riding men at 5 p.m., June 11 in brgy. Oliveti, Bongabon town, Nueva Ecija province (145 km. from Manila). 

Manny delos Santos, 33, single, was a member of the provincial council of leaders of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luson-Nueva Ecija (Peasant Alliance in Central Luzon), a local chapter of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. 

Pastora Betty Perido, secretary general of Karapatan, said that the victim was standing in front of a store by the road when two men wearing helmets and fatigues and riding a WAVE motorcycle stopped and shot him in the head.  Delos Santos was shot twice in the head by a .45 caliber pistol. 

Many witnessed the shooting which happened on a highway nine kilometers from the town proper.

Delos Santos was supposed to join the five-day peasant rally in Manila since Thursday but decided to stay behind to face local concerns.  Some of his companions in Manila cried when they learned about yesterday's killing.

The peasant leader is the 30th victim of political killings in Central Luzon this year, and the 165th killed in the region under the Arroyo administration. Posted by Bulatlat

© 2006 Bulatlat  Alipato Publications

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