AFP, PNP: Killing of farmers part of destabilization

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte yesterday warned farmers’ groups backed by communists against forcibly occupying idle lands, saying he would not hesitate to “do anything to establish order.” 

While Duterte did not name any group, he issued the warning as the military said the murder of nine sugar workers in Sagay, Negros Occidental last Saturday could be part of communist destabilization efforts against the government.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Carlito Galvez yesterday said that Oplan Bungkalan at Okupasyon of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is part of the Red October plot reported earlier by the AFP.

“Oplan Bungkalan at Okupasyon is a grand design to occupy private and government property using their mass base and to create untoward incident then blame it on the government… We see a sinister plot. We revealed it before and now it happened. They are creating some scenarios,” Galvez said.

Duterte said some farmers’ groups have been infiltrated by the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s armed wing, and are seizing land violently.  

“They seize the land from the original tenants. After the harvest, they go in and seize control using violence and intimidation, backed up by NPA,” the President said. 

“This has happened several times; please do not do it again. Because the next time, if I hear a single incident, I will have you evicted. I’m addressing now the nation, and the communists, and the left. I will force you. Please do not resist violently. I’m ready to do anything to establish order,” he added. 

Duterte said he was supposed to visit the wake of the nine sugar workers who were killed in Sagay, Negros Occidental last Saturday. 

He said the nine victims could have been used as “bait.”

“Even ordinary people can see that this a manipulation of somebody, or by an organization, at the expense of the victims,” Duterte said.

“A thorough investigation is already ongoing to establish the identities and motives of the perpetrators of the killing of farmer workers last Saturday. What is already known is that the victims are all recruits of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), a front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army,” Galvez said.

The killing last Saturday night in the second class city of Negros Occidental is part of a larger plan to create a negative image and discredit the government, not only nationally but internationally, he added.

“I am convinced that when the conclusive findings of the investigation have been released, the CPP-NPA and its puppet NFSW will have blood on their hands,” Galvez said.

Western Visayas police director Chief Supt. John Bulalacao said they have identified one of the suspects and located a witness who could help in identifying those behind the carnage.

“The witness knows personally one of the suspects because accordingly he lives here. Therefore, he could tell exactly what happened and identify the suspect,” Bulalacao said.

He added the witness could support claims that the killings were the handiwork of the NPA. But he did not say if the identified suspect is a member of the NPA, as profiling of the suspect is still ongoing.

He added they are looking into three angles in the killings.

“This is a land grabbing issue and the suspects may have interest on the property,” Bulalacao said. – With Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude, Jennifer Rendon