By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Officials from the Philippine Army, Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Kabankalan City police, among others held a meeting last Thursday seeking justice for Kabankalan City barangay tanod Cornilio Morales, who was killed by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) last month.
The discussion highlighted how the government and community will help the victim’s family attain justice through due process of law and condemnation of NPA atrocities.
“The Commission on Human Rights will conduct an investigation,” said Vincent Parra of the CHR-Bacolod. “Murder charges are now being filed by the police against the murderers, who were identified by our eyewitnesses as members of the NPA.”
Meanwhile, Philippine Army 62nd Infantry Battalion commander, Lt. Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, characterized the incident as a “heinous killing.”
“The terrorist NPA are nothing but a breed of murderers and criminals,” he explained. “They have no respect to human life at all.”
“I enjoin every community to help the family of Morales attain justice,” the army official added. “Report to us any information of NPA presence in your areas.”
Reports from the investigation claim Morales, a tanod for Kabankalan City’s Barangay Carol-an, together with his daughter and other civilians, were in a shed when six NPA rebels shot him with M16 and AK47 assault rifles./DGB, WDJ
