Father of child killed seven years ago shot dead at home

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—A farmer whose nine-year-old daughter was killed seven years ago allegedly by soldiers  was shot dead by unidentified gunmen inside his house in New Bataan, Compostela Valley at 3 a.m. Saturday, a human rights group said.

Hanimay Suazo, spokesperson of the human rights group Karapatan, said Gorio Galacio had recently  returned to their old house after years in hiding due to threats to his life following the death of his daughter, Grecil Buya, during a clash between soldiers and communist rebels on March 31, 2007.

Galacio and his family had challenged the military’s claim that Grecil was a ”child combatant” of the New People’s Army who was killed in battle.

The military later retracted the claim and said Grecil was caught in the crossfire.

Suazo said Karapatan was sending a team to look into Galacio’s killing, which the Inquirer has not as of yet been able to confirm independently.

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Her name was Grecil