Couple who lead farmers’ group in Bulacan shot dead

CITY OF MALOLOS, Philippines—A couple who lead a farmers group in San Jose del Monte City were shot and killed by two unidentified men as they were delivering vegetables in that city on Saturday, police said on Sunday.

Supt. Charlie Cabradilla, San Jose del Monte City police chief, said Roger Vargas, 65, died instantly while his wife, Lucila, 60, died while on the way to a hospital.

The men riding-in-tandem made the attack on Igay Road in Barangay Paradise 3 at past 1 p.m. Saturday.

Cabradilla said the driver of the tricycle where the Vargas couple was riding was unhurt.

The couple was about to bring their harvest to a market in Barangay Tungkong Mangga.

Police said the Vargases were leaders of the Nagkakaisang Magsasaka sa San Isidro (Nagkaisa) and members of the Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Bulakan–San Jose del Monte City.

A report from the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said the couple before the attack confronted security guards representing the owner of an 11-hectare agricultural land in Barangay San Isidro, near where the victims were planting vegetables.

KMP said the guards were insisting to include the land being tilled by the Vargas couple as part of their employer’s property.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the extra-judicial killing of Ka Roger and Ka Cila,” said KMP.

Their brutal killing is obviously linked to their just and legitimate struggle to own the land they till,” Antonio Flores, KMP secretary-general, said in a statement.