Bagani Force exists but the military does not know much about it, according to AFP 6th Division Assistant Commander Brig. Gen. Cesar Dionisio Sedillo. Photo by Karlos Manlupig
The military paid the leader of the "Bagani Force" to hunt down and murder Italian priest Fr. Fausto “Pops” Tentorio, alleged a former member of the notorious private army in Arakan, North Cotabato. In a congressional hearing conducted this week by the Committee on Human Rights in Davao, Arturo (not his real name) revealed that he was a member of the Bagani Force and was present at the meeting convened by a "Kumander Iring" to announce that a P50,000 bounty money was raised allegedly by the military for the killing of the priest. “Seven days before the murder of Fr. Pops, all 6 members of the Bagani Force, including me, were called for a meeting by Kumander Iring. He told us that a financier in the military would give us P50,000 if we will killed Fr. Tentorio,” Arturo said. He added that Kumander Iring explained that the money was not to be divided among the group but would be their budget for the operation in hunting down the Italian priest....
What do you know about the Bagani Force, Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares asked officers of the AFP, the PNP and the CHR. Photo by Karlos Manlupig
http://www.rappler.com/nation/15894-bagani-force-still-at-large-in-n-cotabato
One has to keep in mind that the people/ organizations pushing the message that the Philippine military was behind the killing of Fr. Tentorio all appear to members of CPP front organizations. It appears that they are the ones that produced the alleged "witness" who provide the testimony against the "Bagani Force" and the AFP. His story may or may not be true but one thing for sure, CPP human rights fronts have produced false witnesses in the past that sowed disinformation about both Philippine and U.S. military HR violations.
ReplyDelete