After 6 days, NPA owns killing of Agusan del Sur mayor, son
BUTUAN CITY – Six days after the brutal killing of Mayor Dario E. Otaza and his son, the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) of the New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the execution-style slay.
In an emailed statement to various news agencies Saturday night, Rigoberto Sanchez, NPA spokesman of SMRC, said Otaza and his son, Daryl, were purged for allegations of abuse committed against indigenous peoples (IPs) and peasants.
The spokesperson admitted that the combined forces of Compostela ValleyNorth Davao Southern Agusan Subregional Command and the NPA-North Central Mindanao Regional Operations Command posed as operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) when they took Otaza and his son from their residence at Purok 2, Barangay Baan, in Butuan City on Monday evening.
The raiding team also took from Otaza’s residence high powered weapons and hand guns including cash money.
“The NPA operatives found from Otaza’s possession some 25,000, which has been secured and shall be turned over to their family through a third party at the soonest possible time,” added Sanchez.
“Revolutionary justice prevailed when the SMRC of the NPA authorized the imposition of a Standing Order and punished warlords Mayor Otaza and son Daryl, to give justice to the IPs or Lumads and peasants terrorized by their tyranny in Loreto and surrounding municipalities in Agusan del Sur,” said the SMRC-NPA spokesperson.
The spokesperson also alleged that Otaza, considered by the NPA as a Bagani and paramilitary leader, “was found guilty of committing acts constituting war crimes, crimes against humanity and other violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the following specific crimes.”
Some of the alleged crimes committed by the slain mayor were the brutal murder and acts of torture of Lumad and ordinary civilians that include the killing of Benjie Planos of Kauswagan, Loreto last September 13, 2013; Gabriel Alindao of the same village last October 10, 2013; Romeo Wagas and Willy Gabisan also of Kauswagan who were both killed last October 26, 2013; and that of Gerry Villamo of Datu Ampunan village killed on September 10, 2014, the spokesperson in a statement alleged.
The statement added that Otaza, in conspiracy with the Bagani group and paramilitary groups Bukakang Banggaan and Taptap group, was also responsible for the crime of multiple frustrated murder and robbery committed against residents of Km. 16, Barangay Datu Davao, Loreto town last September 9, 2014.
“The NPA operatives found from Otaza’s possession some 25,000, which has been secured and shall be turned over to their family through a third party at the soonest possible time,” added Sanchez.