Death of EDC botanist, team members CentCom chief welcomes raps filed against soldiers

CEBU, Philippines -    Lieutenant Gen. Ralph Villanueva, commander of the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, yesterday said he welcomed the filing of a complaint against the soldiers of the 19th Infantry Battalion by the family of slain botanist Dr. Leonard Co.

Villanueva's statement came after the family of Co was reported to have filed yesterday murder charge against 38 soldiers who were accused of murdering Co and his two companions, forest guard Sofronio Cortez, and guide Julius Borromeo at the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) premises in Kananga, Leyte on Nov. 15 last year.

According to GMANews.TV report, the complainants–Co's wife, Glenda, and parents Lian Sing and Emelina co-protested a DOJ fact-finding panel's report clearing the military of any liability for the death of Co and his team.

The military had insisted that the three were killed in a crossfire between the 19th IB and the New People's Army rebels, a contention that Co's family found hard to believe.

Villanueva, in a press statement, said: "It is the right of the families to file charges and seek redress for their grievances. We have cooperated with the investigation, and we will continue to do so through the judicial process as we answer the charges in the proper forum."

Villanueva said CentCom will provide legal assistance and moral support to their soldiers whom they believed were accused of a crime in the performance of official duties.

Those named on the charge sheet were: 1Lt. Ronald Odchimar, 2Lt. Cameron Perez, Corporal Marlon Mores, Privates First Class Albert Belonte, Michael Babon, Elemer Forteza, Roger Fabillar, Gil Guimerey, Alex Apostol and William Bulic, and 28 other John Does.

Villanueva said they have yet to get a copy of the complaint but vowed to make available the soldiers involved in any investigation.

"We are fully cooperating with all investigative bodies ... our soldiers will be there so they can give their side and explain what happened. We are ready to [face] any of these [investigating] bodies," said Villanueva, whose command has supervision over the battalion involved.

Co, Cortez and Borromeo were killed in a volley of fire inside the forests of the geothermal reservation while on an expedition to identify "mother trees" that would be the source of seeds for EDC's "10,000 trees for the future" program. Two of their companions however survived.

The DOJ probe team, consisting of Assistant State Prosecutor Diosdado Solidum, Assistant State Prosecutor Bryan Jacinto Cacha and NBI Death Investigation Division head Romulo Asis, submitted a report to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima blaming instead the EDC for lack of coordination with the military.

The report stated: "The incident could have been avoided if EDC officials were diligent on their security for their personnel in their area," adding that ballistics report from the NBI showed that none of the firearms submitted by the Philippine Army matched the bullets recovered from the bodies of the victims.

The report further blamed the deaths on the communist rebels, saying the trajectory of the bullets that killed Co and his companions came from lower grounds, where the NPA rebels were allegedly located.

Meanwhile, a top official of the EDC, Fernando Diaz de Rivera, corporate communications manager, issued a press statement saying that EDC was surprised and dismayed at the reported results of the DOJ-NBI fact finding team."

In a separate interview with reporters, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said she will assign a panel of prosecutors that will handle the Co family's complaint.

(FREEMAN)