‘Army raiders killed Martin!’

A militant peasant group claimed yesterday that police Chief Inspector Abelardo Martin did not die while being transported to hospital, but passed away right in the site where government troopers stormed a group of communist rebels who were holding him captive.

In a fact-sheet being circulated by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on the Internet, the peasant group belied military claims that Martin died due to blood loss caused by three gunshot wounds while he was being transported to the hospital.

Describing the incident as a "bungled rescue attempt," the KMP accused the military of lying when it said the two-and-a-half-hour gunfight between the Scout Rangers and a group of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels that led to Martin’s death was a "chance encounter."

According to the KMP, a ‘real’ account of what happened was given by a resident of Sitio Ublian, Barangay San Marcelino in General Nakar, Quezon, whose identity it withheld for security reasons.

The KMP said that, on March 7, government soldiers surrounded the farmer’s nipa hut and asked him to come out.

"Upon his way out, four soldiers went up to him and pointed to him a 60 cal. and an M203," the KMP said. He was then reportedly asked to reveal the location of the NPA rebels who were holding Martin captive.

When the soldiers could not get information from the farmer, "a soldier blindfolded him and tied his hands, while the others were physically abusing him with the use of rifle butts." Then he was brought near the site where Martin was being held by the NPA, said the KMP. At around 1 a.m. on March 8, a gunfight erupted.

Quoting Lolita Artaquio, a Dumagat and resident of Sitio Ublian, the KMP said Martin identified himself to the raiding soldiers by shouting his name.

"Hindi ako kaaway (I am not an enemy)," the woman quoted Martin as shouting.

But Artaquio, whose nipa hut was only 35 meters from the scene of the gunfight, heard one of the soldiers shout: "Hala, sige lang. Sige, banatan na (Keep on firing)!"

Artaquio said a wounded soldier was even brought to their house, who even allegedly told her terrified family, "Natatakot kayo, eh nag-aalaga kayo ng NPA (You’re afraid, but you’re caring for the NPA)."

"After the gunfight," the KMP said, "the forced guide was asked to carry Martin’s body through an improvised stretcher."

"He (the farmer) said Martin was already dead on the site of the actual exchange of gunshots," the KMP added.

"Sa itaas pa lang po ay patay na si Martin (Martin was already dead while he was in the mountain)," the KMP quoted the farmer as saying. "Ako pa nga ang pinagbuhat ng ginawang stretcher I was even told to carry the improvised stretcher)."