Military

DAVAO CITY (davaotoday.com) ? The labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno disclosed today, June 12, that the life of one of its leaders in Compostela Valley province is in grave danger after an armed man broke into his home over the weekend.

The group said an armed man wearing a bonnet and a corduroy jacket forcibly entered the house of Vicente Barrios in Purok 2, Valencia, barangay New Alegria, Compostela town, Compostela Valley Province at around 9:30 p.m. on June 10.

Barrios is the president of the Nagkahiusang Mamumuo sa Suyapa Farms (Namasufa) in Compostela, which is affiliated with the KMU.

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?Despite the billions of (intelligence) funds made available since 2001, these have not contributed to maintaining peace or even arresting the violence. Unless, of course, these funds were used to sponsor such violence, which we strongly believe is the case.?

DAVAO CITY ? To Joel Virador, the Bayan Muna congressman who represents Mindanao, it?s an idea that makes perfect sense: if the state?s intelligence apparatuses can?t stop criminals from killing political activists, journalists, lawyers, students and church people, why should the Filipino people allow them to continue enjoying their intelligence fund?

In fact, Virador thinks that ?it is very plausible that these government funds are being used by the Arroyo administration to fund operations of death squads to murder Bayan Muna members, leaders and supporters nationwide.?

The solution would be to scrap these ?Confidential and Intelligence (COIN) Funds? immediately, Virador said.

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