(Contributed photo by Kath Cortez)
DAVAO CITY —A farmer is confirmed dead while 20 farmers injured after anti-riot police dispersed the picket line of the protesting farmers along the highway in Kidapawan City around 10:30 a.m, Friday, April 1, an official said.
Norma Capuyan, chairperson of Apo Sandawa Lumadnong Panaghiusa confirmed to Davao Today in an interview that there 20 protesters injured because of the violent dispersal.
Radyo ni Juan Network reports that farmers sustained gunshots after combined forces of anti-dispersal unit and SWAT team fired shots to them. Injured from the incident were: Roger Imoy, 48 years old from Antipas who was wounded in arm area; Leo Liong 48 years old from Magpet who was wounded at the feet; Erwin Majao, 18 also from Magpet; Roland Ampas, 26 from Arakan who was wounded in the mouth; Mario Ansabo, 47 from Arakan who was wounded thrice in the thigh area; Elpi Awi, 35 from Arakan; Edi Salaver, 54 from Kabalantian, Arakan who was wounded by a stone thrown at the protesters; Ricky Mat, 23 from Bagumbayan, Magpet and Sheena Duazo, Bayan spokesperson.
Meanwhile, the still unidentified woman reportedly from Antipas town. Some of the names of the wounded were also not yet available as of press time.
“We are now in the compound of the United Methodist Church in Kidapawan and the police are at the gate trying to barge in to arrest the protesters,” Capuyan said.
“At least two from our ranks were arrested,” she said.
“The injured are already brought to the hospital but I can’t tell as of now what hospital they were brought,” she said.(With a report from Maria Patricia C. Borromeo/davaotoday.com)
