TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines- Cagayan provincial police director Senior Superintendent Warren Tolito belied the claims of the New People’s Army (NPA) Henry Abraham Command that slain Baggao town Councilor Angelo “Buridek” Luis was “corrupt and land-grabber.”
Police reports said around 20 communist rebels in camouflage uniform attacked the house of Luis in Barangay Awallan at 7:10 in the morning on Saturday. He was declared dead on the spot.
The NPA, in a statement sent to local radio, said Luis was an undercover agent for the police and was involved in cases of land-grabbing and corruption.
In fact, according to Tolito, Luis lent a land in Barangay Awallan to one of the members of Kagimungan, a peasant group.
“Ang masaklap lang, nuong kukunin na niya ang lupa at gusto niyang gawing palaisdaan, siya pa ang kinasuhan. Pero dahil sa katibayang pagbili at pagmamay-ari, siya rin ang kinasehan ng korte,” Tolito said.
(What’s worse, he was slapped with charges when he tried to get the land back so he can put up a fish pond. But because of evidences that he bought and own the land, the court sided him.)
Tolito added that Luis has urged local residents to rally behind the government’s effort to stop alleged extortion activities committed by the NPA’s against local businessmen, traders and contractors.
The police chief said the killing was a “clear violation” of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights at International Humanitarian Law that they were reportedly fighting for.
“[This] is a manifestation of the NPA’s crooked principle and ideologies which are contrary of what they are trying to portray to the public as champion of the social justice,” the statement from the Cagayan police office quoted Tolito.
“This [was] the very advocacy of SB Angelo “ Buridek” Luis [was] espousing – a clean and good government for the people, that cost his life. Let us not waste it,” he added. Northernforum.net
