Peasant leader Jimmy Saypan (in brown cap) during a confrontation with Lt. Danjo Lagula of the 66th IB late last year during a protest to call for a troop pullout from communities in Compostela Valley province. (file photo by Kilab Multimedia)
A peasant leader who has figured prominently in protesting human rights abuses by government forces and the encroachment of large-scale mining in Compostela Valley province is in critical condition after being shot on Monday.
Jimmy Saypan, 48, secretary general of the Compostela Valley Farmers Association, was shot in the stomach by motorcycle-riding gunmen in Barangay New Visayas in Montevista town. His associates said this was the second attempt on his life in the past year.
He is confined to a hospital in Davao del Norte the group said.
The CFA has been opposing the entry of the Agusan Petroleum and Minerals Corp., which the group says has been undertaking exploration operations despite an expired permit, and has also accused the military of allegedly protecting the firm and committing atrocities against its leaders and members.
Among the alleged abuses were the strafing of the home of CFA chairman Bello Tindasan, the attempt on the life of his son and the murder of another peasant leader, Luis Carbajosa, in April last year.
The attack on Saypan came amid a CFA campaign calling for the pullout of troops of the Army’s 66th Infantry Battalion it said have set up camp in schools and communities in the province.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/133187/compostela-valley-peasant-leader-critical-in-shooting
The Compostela Farmers Association (CFA)is an affiliate of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines/KMP). The KMP is the main Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) peasant-based umbrella front organization in the Philippines. The KMP is a member of the main CPP multisectoral umbrella group, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance) and has chapters/affiliates active throughout the country.
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