GROUPS WANT JUSTICE FOR SLAIN ACTIVISTS
They also asked Duterte to stop the alleged killing of leaders and members of progressive groups.
A day after Human Rights Day, several cause-oriented groups staged a rally yesterday in front of the Cebu Provincial Capitol and the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 to condemn the death of some of their leaders.
Nick Abasolo, chairman of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Cebu, said they want justice for the deaths of Elisa Badayos of human rights group Karapatan, and Eleuterio Moises, a member of the Mantapi Ebwan Farmers’ Association.
“We want to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to stop violating human rights, especially in killing leaders and members of progressive groups representing the farmers,” Abasolo said.
Dr. Phoebe Sanchez, associ- ate professor in the University of the Philippines Cebu, questioned why the police did not give security to the fact-finding team in Negros Oriental despite the permit that the group had.
The team, which included Badayos and Moises, was investigating alleged cases of human rights violations in Negros Oriental when they were attacked.
“The armed group knew that the team will be going there. They already waited in the area to shoot the members of the team,” Sanchez said.
Following the incident, PRO 7 Director Jose Espino had asked those who plan to visit mountainous areas to coordinate with the police so that they will be given security. /