MEDIA STATEMENTKarapatan Sorsogon
December 29, 2006
RE: Sorsogon Police Chief blames Reds for activists' killings
"Sorsogon PNP Provincial Director Senior Supt. Joel Regondola should resign from his post because of his inability to look into the matter of extra-judicial killings that besieged this province since 2002 professionally and objectively." His statement quoted in the Philippine Daily Inquirer proves the "lame duck" performance of his force to ensure safety to the civilians. Based on our documentation, Francisco Bantog was the 41st person gunned down by the motorcycle-riding assassins. To date, not one perpetrator of the series extra-judicial killings has been put behind bars. Oftentimes, the investigation ends up with "fall guys".
Atty. Gil Gojol had been known in the province as a human rights lawyer defending the poor and the aggrieved sectors of the society. In some cases, he defended political prisoners as part of his duty as a lawyer. And these people were known or accused of being rebel leaders. Their acquittal and release were the consequence of the weak statements or false-statements. Thus by plain gratuity, these "rebels" were thankful of the legal help that Gojol extended to them. How come that this same lawyer would be killed by the very people he helped to regain their freedom? The statement of the "Protector of the Province" PD Regondola must be viewed as a filthy excuse of his inability to draw objective and fruitful investigation. Being the case, the PD himself legitimizes more killings in the province since the blame has been easily put on the rebels. Thus impunity will remain in this society for the PD himself reinforces it.
KARAPATAN challenges PD Regondola to do his job and avoid pointing fingers to other groups. The case of Toribio Mesa, a BM member in the municipality of Bulan should shake the mind of Regondola because it is very evident that the killing is the handiwork of the State Security Forces. Mesa was abducted by the military last December 16, 2006 in his house. The Brgy. Captain and other member of the council accompanied the victim and even been brought to the police station. Yet the military captors urged the group that it was "safe" for Mesa to be left in their custody. Hours later, gun shots were heard and Mesa was dead. The excuse was "Mesa grabbed a gun and tried to escape." Yet the marks in the body and hands showed that Mesa was tied in both hands. Until now, no prosecution against the perpetrators has been conducted.
The purging issue against the "Left" is the usual lameduck excuse of the government especially its security forces to hide their incapacity in protecting the civilians against the killing ramage. It is lamentable to hear such statement from the PD himself because the killers or assassins will continue their killing spree for there is already available accussed of the killings.
