EDITORIAL - Catch the killers

There is only one way to prove that former New People’s Army commander Sotero Llamas was murdered by his former comrades in the communist movement, as insinuated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. And that is to arrest his killers, including the mastermind.

Otherwise, this murder will end up like many of the others that have piled up over the past few months, cases that left-wing militants have reported to human rights organizations around the world. Most of the cases are unsolved, and what the world hears are the accusations of militant groups: that the murders are the handiwork of death squads unleashed by the state to annihilate leftist activists.

Reports published yesterday said police are also looking into the possible involvement of the Guardians Brotherhood, whose members are identified with fugitive former senator Gregorio Honasan, in the murders of left-leaning activists including Llamas. This angle makes the murders part of destabilization activities against the administration. Honasan faces arrest for rebellion. Again, this angle can be verified only if triggermen and masterminds can be caught, prosecuted and punished.

So far the investigation appears to be long on conjecture and short on solid leads. The military’s claim that the spate of murders of leftist militants is part of a purge in the communist movement is in fact plausible. The communist movement undertakes periodic violent purges. Communist rebels were believed responsible for the murders of former NPA commanders Arturo Tabara, Felimon Lagman and Rolly Kintanar.

But in the absence of suspects, and in the shadow of ill-advised warrantless raids on private homes and newspaper offices by government agents, the militants’ accusations of human rights violations have more resonance. They are not in the business of law enforcement, and there is less pressure for them to prove their accusations. And the government finds itself under fire for its human rights record.

It is not enough for the government to declare that it will never condone extrajudicial killings. It should back up its pronouncements with action, by catching those behind the murders.