The Philippine Army welcomed the call of Acting Mayor Paolo
Duterte for a thorough investigation on the killing of Datu Ruben Labawan, one
of the Ata-Manobo tribal leaders in Paquibato District.
“The tribe and other sectors are now seeking justice for
Datu Labawan’s killing,” Captain Rhyan Batchar, chief information officer of
the Army 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, said in a phone interview on Thursday
afternoon.
Datu Labawan and his companion were gunned down last July 6
in Panabo City
after attending a meeting with other tribal leaders in Davao
The New People’s Army (NPA) admitted responsibility for the
killing of Labawan in a statement it sent to the media.
Batchar said it is the task of the Philippine National
Police (PNP) to conduct investigation on Labawan’s killing.
The Army, he added, can also provide vital information that
will help those who will handle the probe.
On Thursday, Vice Mayor Duterte said he wanted the City
Council of Davao and the PNP “to dig deeper” into the killing of Labawan.
The vice mayor paid a visit to Labawan’s wake at the
Almendras Gym on Thursday morning where he also met the tribal leader’s family
and members of the tribe.
He also ordered the Committee on Civil, Political and Human
Rights of the city council to facilitate its own investigation on the killing.
The committee is chaired by Councilor Antoinette
Principe-Castrodes.
“The leaders of Davao
City
Batchar also assured that the Army is doing its best to
prevent the feared “pangayaw” or purging in the area.
The 10th ID earlier condemned the killing of Labawan, saying
that the leader’s death is a great loss to the tribal communities in Paquibato
District whom he served religiously for many years.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=904505
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