AFP puzzled on 4-month delay announcing death of Gregorio ‘Ka Roger’ Rosal

MANILA, Philippines—Even with the military being sympathetic on  the reported death of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesperson Ka Roger (Gregorio Rosal), the military remains puzzled with the delay of the announcement.

“(That’s) three months, even in justice, if you claim it after three months, justice delayed is justice denied. It’s hard to speculate,” military public affairs chief Colonel Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said in a mix of Filipino and English on Monday.

The CPP announced the death of Ka Roger on Sunday, saying he passed away on June 22, 2011, at the age of 64 after suffering a heart attack in a guerrilla front in Luzon.

“The AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) has offered medical assistance to Mr. Rosal when we have learned that he was ill, based on (intelligence) information, and we offered our medical assistance to him, believing he will be availing that. Nakakahinayang di nya natanggap kung tinanggap sana nya nakatulong tayo (It’s regretful he didn’t accept. If he did, we could have helped him),” Burgos said.

He pointed out the death of Ka Roger may be a lesson to the people “na naliligaw ng landas (lost in the tracks)” to stop resorting to armed struggle as a means to achieve their interests.

With regard to the peace talks, the military remains focused in supporting the peace initiatives of the government, he added.

Despite Ka Roger’s death, pursuit operations on the perpetrators behind the attack in the mining firms in Surigao del Norte last week will still continue, Burgos said.

Burgos added Ka Roger’s death may have a strong impact on the rebels’ morale, because he had many followers.