DAVAO CITY – Workers under the progressive Kilusang Mayo Uno lauded the Senate’s initiative to probe the killings of Lumads in Surigao del Sur.
“We are glad that Senators Grace Poe, Loren Legarda, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Teofisto Guingona III are speaking up against the killings. We hope that more senators and legislators would follow their lead on this issue,” said Jerome Adonis, KMU secretary-general in a statement.
On Monday, Senator Guingona called on the Senate to investigate the killings in Surigao del Sur allegedly perpetrated by paramilitary forces. Senator Defensor-Santiago has also called for an investigation of the alleged links between the Army and the militia unit responsible in the killing.
Meanwhile, Senator Poe and Legarda filed resolutions for an independent inquiry into the killings.
Adonis said they “hope that the Senate probe would further expose the military and its paramilitary agents as the killers of Mapasu chairman Dionel Campos, ALCADEV executive director Emerito Samarca, Manobo datu Juvello Sinzo and other Lumads.”
“The military is only trying to stem growing condemnation and is only being true to its tradition of deceit in claiming that the killings were carried out by the New People’s Army. We believe that a fair investigation would bear this out,” he said.
KMU also called for the “immediate disbandment” of the paramilitary units. (davaotoday.com)
