AFP: Other groups behind Pitao slay

MANILA, Philippines - Other groups out to avenge alleged atrocities of the New People’s Army could have killed the 21-year-old daughter of a top NPA commander, the military said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, Armed Forces civil relations chief Brig. Gen. Gaudencio Pangilinan said groups with “an ax to grind” against NPA commander Leoncio Pitao, alias Parago, could be behind last week’s murder of his daughter Rebelyn.

“There are a thousand and one groups who are mad at Parago. Remember they have killed   people), they have damaged maybe a billion worth of private property in the area, plantations, construction firms, and there are scores of people they killed, so we are not the only party na dapat pagbintangan dyan (to be blamed). But we guarantee the public there will be no whitewash on this, if ever any of our personnel are involved, we will not hesitate to bring them to court,” he said.

Pangilinan said the four soldiers whom Pitao tagged as being behind his daughter’s murder have denied any involvement in the killing.

“They have denied any participation, so the investigation will continue. If there are charges to be filed, we will surrender them to the investigating body,” he said.

Pitao identified Sergeants Adan Sulao and Ben Tipait, Corporal Alvin Bitang, and a certain Pedregosa.

Sources said possible groups with the motive to get back at Pitao are the Alsa Masa Lumad Laban sa NPA and a vigilante group led by a certain Kumander Kidlat.

Peace talks to resume

The government aims to resume peace talks with communist rebels despite the killing of Pitao’s daughter.

Avelino Razon Jr., presidential adviser on the peace process, said the government peace panel is set to meet leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the Netherlands.

“We are looking forward to the informal talks so that the formal negotiations can resume as soon as possible,” he said.

Razon said the killing of Rebelyn, daughter of NPA commander Parago, will not imperil the peace talks.

“The President has instructed the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to look into this dastardly act,” he said.

“The Commission on Human Rights is also investigating the matter.”

Razon said he does not see Rebelyn’s murder as a setback to the peace process.

“I don’t think so because the government is taking action and it would be most prudent for anyone not to accuse,” he said.

“They are quick to blame the government, the Armed Forces of the Philippines. In fairness, let’s give the government the benefit of the doubt.”

Annabelle Abaya, government peace panel spokeswoman, has asked the PNP to thoroughly investigate the killing of Rebelyn.

“This ghastly act and all atrocities have no place in our democratic space,” she said.

“All peace-loving Filipinos are enjoined to reject violence and the cycle of aggression that it breeds.”

Abaya said the PNP should investigate Pitao’s killing with dispatch.

“We call on the PNP to pursue with urgency the investigation of the case and arrest with dispatch the perpetrators of the crime,” she said.

“We also call on the Department of Justice to cooperate with the government’s security forces to bring the vile criminals to the bar of justice and to provide protection to witnesses.”

‘Probe Rebelyn’s murder’

National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales urged authorities yesterday to look deeper into “message sent” by the murderers of Rebelyn.

“They have to look into the style by which she was killed,” he said. “It was so brutal and that it was sending some message.”

However, Gonzales said he also does not know what exactly was the message being relayed by the killers.

“It could be anything,” he said. “There are so many possibilities to it. Investigators should look deeper into all these possibilities.”

Gonzales said the crime could not have been perpetrated by the military.

“I believe it was not done by the military,” he said. “The military does not sanction such act.”

Former lawmaker Joel Virador, Bayan Muna Southern Mindanao chairman, agreed with Gonzales that Rebelyn’s killers were sending a message.

“Definitely, it sent the message that the government is desperate in ending the existence of the revolutionary movement come 2010,” he said.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte vowed to “get to the bottom” of Rebelyn’s murder.

“I promise there would be justice for Rebelyn,” he said.

Rebelyn was snatched by armed men at around 6 p.m. last March 5 while she was on a tricycle on her way home in Bago Aplaya, Davao City. She was later found floating in a shallow creek in Purok 5, Barangay San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte, some 30 kilometers from Davao City.

Rebelyn’s remains indicated she underwent extreme torture as there were five stab wounds on her chest, strangulation marks on her neck, and her face was bludgeoned.

Lacerations were also found on her genitals showing a hard object had been inserted. — With Jose Rodel Clapano, Edith Regalado