NAPC farmer-representative gunned down in Davao

A farmer-representative of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) and national secretary general of the peasant group Pambansang Ugnayan ng mga Nagsasariling Lokal na Organisasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA) was gunned down Monday evening in Davao del Norte.

Enrico Cabanit, 54, was attacked by unidentified motorcycle-riding men at around 6:10 p.m. at the public market of Pandao in Panabo City. His daughter, Daffodil, 23, who was with him was also shot and wounded.

Various cause-oriented groups immediately condemned the incident . "The assassination of Ka Eric demonstrates the failure of the government to protect its citizens," said Evangeline Mendoza, national council member of UNORKA.

Reports reaching the UNORKA officials in Manila disclosed that Cabanit has just concluded a dialogue with a number of officials from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) when he was attacked by the two men. The dialogue tackled land reform concerns in the whole of Mindanao.

Mendoza said Cabanit sustained gunshot wounds in the head and died instantly while his daughter sustained two gunshot wounds in the back and chest and is currently confined at the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum. — Katherine Adraneda