Davao cops still clueless on murder of activist leader
By Jeffrey M. Tupas
Mindanao Bureau
First Posted 16:58:00 05/16/2008
DAVAO CITY, Philippines -- Police here admitted Friday they were still facing a blank wall on Thursday's murder of an activist leader in Southern Mindanao.
Chief Superintendent Andres Caro, Southern Mindanao police chief, said investigators still do not have a definite lead on the killing of Celso Pojas, 45, spokesperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP, Peasant Movement of the Philippines) for Southern Mindanao, who was shot by motorcycle-riding killers while buying cigarettes at a store near his office in Barangay (village) Ma-a here around 6 a.m.
Shortly after the incident, Inspector Cecil Mac Blanco, chief investigator of the Talomo police station, said they were looking at Pojas' work in the Farmers Association of Davao City (FADC), which he chaired, as one of the possible motives behind the attack.
"It could be possible…it is one thing that we will be looking at thoroughly," he said.
But as of Friday, Caro said nothing was definite yet as he announced the formation of a task force to speed up the investigation into Pojas' death.
"So far, the task force is still looking for leads and haven't been able to find any sure ones yet...you know, we are looking into several angles including, of course, his active involvement in the militant organization," Caro said.
He said investigators have managed to talk to possible witnesses but there had been no clear information as to the identity of the perpetrators.
As this developed, government officials here added their voice to the growing condemnation of Pojas' assassination.
"It was very unfortunate and unreasonable. The city government has been making sure that none of this kind of senseless killing would happen here…It is very regrettable," Wendel Avisado, city administrator, said.
Councilor Leo Avila viewed the incident as "very disturbing."
"We must condemn it as we condemn every extrajudicial killing anywhere," he said.
During an indignation rally here Friday spearheaded by Pojas' group, his father Felix, 70, said the militant leader's best intentions for the oppressed peasants had certainly offended the sensitivity of some people.
"He died because of the oppressed farmers and the poor lumad [indigenous people]. But, surely, he died because he fought for us," Felix said.
Pojas was the first activist killed in Davao City since 2001.
But he was the 79th victim of attacks against militants in Southern Mindanao since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed power, according to Karapatan (Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights).
"Pojas' death is, without a doubt, part of Oplan Bantay Laya [Freedom Watch] 2 wielded by the bloodthirsty generals at the behest of the fascist Arroyo regime. This policy centers on the killing of leaders of legitimate people's organizations labeled as communists fronts liberally and openly pronounced by the military," Pedro Arnado, KMP vice chairperson, said.
The military has denied it had a hand in the killing of Pojas.
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