Another noncombatant leftist killed in Bukidnon

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The attack on noncombatant figures of the left continued on Friday (Aug. 1) with the killing by masked gunmen of one member of a militant farmers’ group and the wounding of another at a village in San Fernando town, Bukidnon province.

Human rights watchdog Karapatan (Right), which President Rodrigo Duterte called demon also on Friday, identified the slain farmer as Guillermo Casas, 42.

The group said Casas died from two gunshot wounds, while Jocelyn Laurete, 45, was wounded in the leg.

They were members of the group Kasama-Bukidnon, which is affiliated with the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines or KMP).

Lt. Col. Mardy Hortillosa, spokesperson of the regional police, said the farmers were in a store when a gunman casually walked toward them and shot them at close range. Four bonnet-wearing men stood as lookouts.

The killers fled on motorcycles.

Police said the couple was rushed for treatment after the shooting but Casas died before reaching the hospital. He was hit in the neck and right hand.

Police have yet to determine the motive for the attack.

But Karapatan said the killing of Casas was the 10th case of extrajudicial killing in Bukidnon in 2019. Last June, another member of Kasama-Bukidnon had been killed at the village of Halpitan, according to Karapatan./tsb