Two militant leaders killed

July 6, 2006

Two militant leaders killed
“Calderon is engaged in double speak!”-KMP

The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) condemned in the strongest terms, the killings of two activists in as many days.

According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of KMP, “yesterday at around 12 noon Andro Dimaculangan, 32, a baranggay councilor of Padre Garcia, Batangas and a Bayan Muna municipal coordinator was shot at close range by a motorcycle riding assailant with a Delica van back-up, when he was weighing pork in Brgy. Banaba, Padre Garcia. He was shot in the head and died instantly. He is also a brother of Anakbayan-Batangas treasurer Fortune Dimaculangan. Andro was also charged by the 402nd Provincial Police Mobile Group (PPMG) and the 28th Special Forces Company as being an accessory to a crime in 2002 in an encounter of the police and military units with the New People’s Army (NPA). The case was dismissed,”

“While the other night at around 9pm John Gado, 28 and an active member of Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luzon-Nueva Ecija (AMGL-NE), the KMP chapter in the province, was shot and killed by military men while he was watching TV at his home in Brgy. Yuson, Nueva Ecija. Before the incident he was attacked and abused by soldiers from the 71st Infantry Battalion under Gen. Jovito Palparan,” said Ramos.

“Now what is new Philippine National Police Chief Oscar Calderon is saying that one of his marching orders to his men is to stop the killings of militants and journalist? From our point of view this is nothing but an empty promise and double speak. In the case of Dimaculangan, we have reason to believe that the 402nd PPMG of the PNP is involved in his murder. The police are also long involved in the anti-insurgency drive and are also active in harassing not NPA rebels but civilian militants who have nothing to do with the insurgency. His order to crush the insurgency and stop the killings is contradictory to what his men are doing because they are the ones killing the militants and strengthening the insurgency,”

“If this continues, Calderon’s battle for the hearts and minds of the people is already lost, even before he has started. The key to licking the insurgency problem is for government to give the basic demands of the people that is land, jobs, decent wages and education. Another way is to reenter the peace talks and to implement the agreements. If this does not happen, then they are fighting a losing war as AFP Chief Senga already admitted,” ended Ramos. # # #