Army to file case vs NPA over barangay cop’s death

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 8): Army to file case vs NPA over barangay cop’s death

The Philippine Army is contemplating on filing formal charges against the New People’s Army for killing a barangay police who was also a civilian intelligence agent on March 2 in the remote Barangay New Carmen in Baguio district here.

Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, said the 84th Infantry Battalion is now closely coordinating with the family of Paulino Landim Jr. to formally charge the suspects. But more than filing a case against the NPA, Paniza urged the victim’s family and the community themselves to unite in driving out the rebels in the area.

He said that residents should cooperate with the government if only not to be disturbed by the presence of these lawless elements who continued to threaten them if they would not give in their extortion activities.

This came even as the NPA admitted killing of Landim at Purok 4 in New Carmen reportedly as “a punishment of the NPA’s military tribunal for his participation in the AFP’s counter-insurgency operations”.

In a statement, the NPA also boasted the release of five other civilian assets after finding that they were just serving as forest guard volunteers of Philippine Eagle Conservation Program Foundation.

The NPA said Landim together with Cesar Aggas, Jomer Manando, Alvin Aggas, Elmer Aggas and Jerbel Aggas were arrested and detained on March 1.  But on March 2, all but Landim were released by the NPA.

The NPA said that the so-called order against Landim was handed down on March 29, 2012 due to his reported participation as military spy which reportedly resulted in the killing of NPA member and wounding another by operatives of 84th Infantry Battalion and Police Special Action Force on February 25, 2011.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=505048