Army major tagged in Pitao slay; 2 confined to barracks

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – An Army major was linked yesterday to last week’s murder of the daughter of a top New People’s Army (NPA) commander in the Davao region, even as the military restricted to quarters two of the four soldiers earlier accused of killing the 21-year-old elementary school teacher.

Speaking over a local ABS-CBN radio station, NPA commander Leoncio Pitao said seven other soldiers – a major, three sergeants and three corporals – were also involved in the murder of his daughter Rebelyn.

Pitao said he has “solid evidence” to back up his allegations, including the fact that the white van used in snatching Rebelyn last March 5 was seen parked in a military safehouse in Carmen, Davao del Norte.

Pitao said the 11 soldiers were widely known to have been behind the killing of militant leaders in the Davao

region.

“Last year, they killed my brother Danilo and now, Rebelyn is their latest victim,” he said.

Davao Region police director Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango said Task Force Rebelyn has yet to get a lead on the one-week-old murder.

On the other hand, Lt. Col. Rolando Bautista, Army 10th Infantry Division spokesman, said the military cannot investigate the murder of Rebelyn based solely on the accusations of Pitao.

“To be fair to the soldiers he has mentioned, their superiors have been instructed to also investigate further,” he said.

“But we made sure that we are going to make them available for investigation.”

Bautista said Pitao gave out the names of the soldiers without mentioning how they were involved in Rebelyn’s murder.

“It would appear that Pitao is now witch-hunting,” he said.

Meanwhile, Pitao called on the National Bureau of Investigation, the Catholic Church and academe to get involved in the murder investigation.

Soldiers restricted to quarters

Maj. Gen. Reynaldo Mapagu, Army 10th Infantry Division commander, said Corporal Alvin Bitang and a certain Pedregosa have been confined to camp so they can appear before any investigating body.

The military is conducting an internal probe in support of various investigating bodies to solve Rebelyn’s murder, he added.

He has no jurisdiction over the two other accused soldiers, Sergeants Adan Sulao and Ben Tipait, who belong to another military unit, Mapagu said.

Pitao has identified Bitang, Pedregosa, as well as Sulao and Tipait, as his daughter’s killers.

Mapagu refused to give the rank and first name of Pedregosa.

There is no proof yet to link Pedregosa and the three other soldiers to Rebelyn’s murder, he said.

The allegations against the soldiers would remain allegations unless Pitao presents evidence, Mapagu said.

‘Rebelyn’s murder a war crime’

Sen. Richard Gordon branded yesterday as a “war crime” the killing of Rebelyn Pitao.

In Senate Bill 2669, Gordon said Rebelyn’s killing may be considered a war crime defined as an act of violence to life and person, in particular murder, committed against persons taking no active part in hostilities.

“Whether or not the killing of Rebelyn Pitao is related to her father’s involvement with the NPA, we should not tolerate such an atrocious act,” he said.

“However, this incident highlights the need to enjoin the country to respect International Humanitarian Law.”

Gordon said Congress must pass a law allowing the prosecution of crimes against International Humanitarian Law in Philippine courts.

“If the killing of Rebelyn Pitao was connected to her being a daughter of NPA commander Leoncio Pitao, it is more urgent to pass the IHL bill that would punish such acts under domestic courts,” he said.

The IHL is a set of rules that seek, for humanitarian reasons, a limit to the effects of armed conflict such that persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities are protected and the means and methods of warfare are restricted.

Gordon said the Senate bill seeks to codify IHL within the country’s legal system to penalize and deny “safe havens” for those who committed war crimes, genocide, and crimes against humanity.

“A crime is a crime,” he said.

“When we adopt international law as part of the law of the land, it reinforces our position that we are a humanitarian country which respects the rights of people even in the midst of armed conflict.

“In other words, we are drawing a face of our country that we firmly ensconced in humanitarian law.” – With Jaime Laude, Christina Mendez