Army belies Cafgu hand in killing of Lumad
LOCAL authorities dismissed the allegations of a militant group that a Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) was behind the shooting incident of a Lumad last Monday, citing that it was the liquidation unit of the New People's Army who perpetrated the crime.
Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division (ID) assistant division commander Brigadier General Datuin, during yesterday's AFP-PNP press forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, denied the accusations thrown against their militiaman, who was allegedly behind the killing of Obillo Bay-ao, a farmer.
"Hindi Cafgu ito. We are categorically denying the information that it was the Cafgu. Kahapon, we immediately conducted an investigation and the Cafgu was on his duty so it couldn’t be the Cafgu
there. This is still under investigation," Datuin said.
According to Senior Superintendent Marcial Magistrado, director of the Davao Del Norte police, the shooting incident ensued on Monday, September 5 at around 12 p.m. wherein Bay-ao, 27, and a resident of Sitio Dulian, Barangay Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte was shot by an unidentified suspect. Several hours after he was rushed to the Davao Regional Medical Center in Tagum City, he succumbed to a gunshot wound.
Magistrado said the victim was tilling land together with his mother when the unidentified perpetrator shot him.
Authorities are looking on the possibility that the suspects are members of a lawless armed group (LAG) who targets members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (PNP), Philippine National Police (PNP), civilians, and its supporters like Bay-ao, who is a relative of a Cafgu.
"We are still investigating and we have already persons of interest na probably perpetrated by lawless armed groups. Ito ang tinitingnan sa investigation natin ngayon," Magistrado said.
He also said that the NPA has directed its Special Partisan Units (Sparu) or so-called Sparrow units, their urban hit squad to descend and conduct Oplan Halang-Halang.
"The probable suspect niyan is member of the lawless armed group because of the fact na itong si Obillo Bay-ao was a relative of a Cafgu. The NPA natin ngayon is mayroon silang operation na Oplan Halang-Halang so pinababa nila ang kanilang mga Sparrow members purposely to conduct liquidation against the PNP and AFP members to include their supporters," he said.
Magistrado cited a similar shooting incident last July 22, where a Cafgu member named Gawilan Salangani was shot by alleged members of the LAGs but the Cafgu survived.
Authorities have already filed a case of frustrated murder against Romel Tausan and Laro Manlolopis who are members of the Guerilla Front 55 who were identified by