Four EX-RPA members tagged in ‘Sagay 9’ killings to show up in case conference today

FOUR former members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA) who were linked by the communist rebels as the alleged perpetrators in the killing of the nine farmers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental will appear in public today to air out their sides.

This was confirmed yesterday by Colonel Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Murcia town.

Arevalo said the former RPA members, who are now active members of Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA), were turned over to the custody of Sagay City Police Station a few days ago for safekeeping as they were allegedly being threatened by the New People’s Army (NPA) for “liquidation.”

“They will show up to tell why they are being targeted by the NPA,” he said.

The National Democratic Front (NDF) identified these SCAA members last week following the exhaustive investigation of the Roselyn Pelle Command of the Npa-northern Negros Front.

The SCAA members, along with the families of the victims killed at Hacienda Nene in Barangay Bulanon on October 20, will attend the case conference on Sagay massacre initiated by the members of the fact-finding team composed of the Social Action

Center (SAC) of the Diocese of San Carlos and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) at the Sagay Parish Church at 9 a.m. today.

Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto, city police chief, and the 25 donees will also meet with them today to discuss some matters on the said murder case.

The landowner and lessor met with the authorities yesterday.

On October 26, police filed multiple murder charges against Rene Manlangit and Rogelio Arquillo, both alleged recruiters of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) - for connivance and seven John DOES./GYM