· Authorities set to bring case vs. NPA to EU
The Police Regional Office will submit evidence they will recover in Talaingod, Davao del Norte on the summary execution of Lumad leaders by the New People's Army (NPA) to the National Task Force (NTF) that they will eventually present to the European Union.
“We will file a case because this is a clear case of human rights violation of our Lumad brothers," said Chief Supt. Marcelo Morales, the police regional director.
In a press briefing on Monday held at the Talaingod Municipal hall, Morales said they will conduct the investigation based on the evidence that they will gather.
"The evidence that we will be sending to the National Task Force will be submitted to the EU so we can expose the human rights violations committed by the NPA against Lumad brothers,” the police regional director said.
On Monday, the first day of Oplan Lakbay-Hukay aiming to recover remains of Lumads believed to be executed by the rebels, agents recovered in Sitio Dulyan the alleged remains of Datu Ulas Salangani who was reportedly stabbed and gunned down by NPA members sometimes in September of 2015.
"Our witnesses are those families and relatives of the victims who saw how their loved ones were killed,” Morales said.
The police director said the relatives can attest that the bodies found belong to their relatives “because they were present or they were the one who buried the victim."
He said the police will conduct forensic examination to the bodies that will be found through DNA testing to establish identification.
Morales said the NTF is collating evidence of summary execution conducted by the communist group around the country.
“This is not only in Davao region but the whole Philippines,” Morales said. “This will strengthen our complaints.”
Support
Mayor Basilio Libayao is supporting the Oplan Lakbay-Hukay so “the community will know the evil acts of the Communist group.”
"We are happy and we are longing for this,” said Libayao, himself a Lumad lader.
“Hopefully, it will continue so that the victims will be given justice and the suspects will be punished."
On Monday, police and military operatives, in coordination with the tribal community and town government, exhumed the remains of Datu Salangani.
Chief Insp. Jason Baria, PRO spokesperson, said the victim just came from a meeting at the town proper when armed men arrived at 9 p.m. on that day.
“He was stabbed and gunned down,” Baria quoted the widow of the victim.
Relatives buried Salangani’s body beneath their house, as they fled the area. The house was no longer standing when they made the digging on Monday.
Baria said the family is asking for justice and a proper burial for the victim.
The police spokesperson said the recovery of the body proved the statements of the complaining relatives of the victims.
“They identified the responsible NPA members because he used to frequent the area before,” Baria said.
Police and military said they will be digging more graves in six identified sitios.
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