No proof of Arinque Murder by military

“There is no proof that Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon (HUMABOL) member and Mabini farmer organizer Nestor Arinque was killed by the military”, said PNP-Bohol Intelligence Chief PINSP Erlinde Bantugan. The Intelligence Chief was reacting to the allegations lodged by KARAPATAN that the military was behind the killing of Aringue.

In an interview with Bantugan, he stressed that the Bohol-PNP is still investigating the incident that happened last March 7 in Barangay San Jose, Municipality of Mabini ; and the delay was due to lack material witnesses. The allegations of KARAPATAN cannot be substantiated, although it runs counter to “military intelligence report”, that Arinque was killed by the members of underground movement. On the same report, the farmer-organizer was allegedly a “collector” of the NPA and earned the ire of the group for his failure to remit revolutionary taxes he collected.

In the same way, the killing of GABRIELA organizer Liezelde Cuñado in Panadtaran, Candijay was reportedly because of a misunderstanding with the neighbor and not because of her connections with GARBIELA, Bantugan added further. However, Bantugan assured that the investigation will go on until justice will be served and the perpetrators apprehended.

Earlier, MSGT Narciso Tabaniag, Team Leader of the AFP-Civil Relations Service, branded as unfair and unfounded the claims that the government, particularly the military, is responsible for the killings. The military officer was guest during the weekly Kapihan sa PIA. With the spate of killings reported against media practitioners and members of cause-oriented groups, Malacañang has ordered the PNP to expedite their investigations as the president was hopeful these incidents will not be used as propaganda against the government.

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