As the Philippine Army (PA) and progressive human rights and
farmers groups continue to dispute the truth behind the Paquibato incident last
June 14, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will conduct his separate investigation if there
was massacre or encounter between the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Army
troops.
While he has yet to receive reports from the Army, Duterte
said he would like to determine whether it was (massacre) true or not.
The mayor is expected not to investigate the Army. “I cannot
investigate my own men,” he said, emphasizing that he is 100 percent
pro-government.
“If I have a divided loyalty…then I will tell the people I
have compromised my people. I’ll just have to resign,” he said.
The city council is set to investigate the incident in
Paradise Embac, Paquibato District that resulted in the death of three
civilians and the wounding of a 14-year-old child.
Councilor Karlo Bello, chairperson of the City Council
Committee on Human Rights, said they will conduct an ocular inspection and a
committee hearing on the incident in view of the conflicting reports of the
Army and Karapatan rights group.
Though open to a probe, 10th Infantry Division (ID)
spokesperson Vergel Lacambra, however, dismissed claims it was a massacre or
strafing but a legitimate encounter when the soldiers tried to implement a
warrant of arrest against Leoncio Pitao known as Kumander Parago who was
reportedly in the house of Aida Seisa, a peasant leader in Paquibato.
Lacambra said the Army troops were acting on the information
about the presence of armed men under PBC 1, SMRC led by Parago and Nelson
Anggoy Alias Upaw. Lacambra said the troops on security patrol were fired upon
by the NPAs as they approached the vicinity, prompting the government troops to
retaliate, triggering a fifteen-minute firefight.
The alleged slain rebels were Ruben Enlog, Randy Canlasa and
Oligario Olimbo, all residents of Barangay Paradise Embac. Enlog is chairperson
of the Nagkahiusang Lumad na Mag-uuma sa Paquibato (NAGKALUPA/ United
Indigenous Peasants of Paquibato).
Karapatan had investigated the incident which they claimed
as an attack on Seisa, secretary general of Paquibato District Peasant
Association of PADIPA. Hanimay Suazo of KARAPATAN-SMR had condemned the attack
on the hapless farmers and civilians.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=775492
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