AFP backs probe on Reds' killings
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is more than willing to participate in the proposed summit that will look into killings and abductions in the country.
Albeit yet to be invited, Captain Lowen Gil Marquez, Commanding Officer of the AFP's 32nd Civil Relations Group conveyed the AFP's "desire to cooperate."
This, as Captain Marquez extends the same enthusiasm with left-leaning and militant groups to join the summit "rather than accusing the legal authorities and dissuade witnesses from cooperating."
What these organizations should do, he adds as unsolicited advice, is "focus on real solutions of fair and justice not on the propaganda environment of hatred against the government."
Should the probe as initiated by Supreme Court Justice Reynante Puno pushes through, the AFP here will submit for investigation a total of 62 cases. Recorded as crimes with communist terrorists as principal suspects, the incidents occurred between 2000 to 2007.
"The AFP tactical level in Western Visayas is willing to submit a name of list of victims killed or murdered by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)," Captain Marquez assured. "It is for the best interest of the masses to ferret out the truth on the spate of killings and to know the real perpetrators who should be accountable for such inhuman act of terrorism. We will help to exhaust all possible and legal means so that justice can finally be given to the victims and their aggrieved families."
Based on the AFP's records, Negros Occidental tops the list of provinces with most number of victims at 38 recorded on file followed by Iloilo with 16 known victims. Provinces of Capiz and Antique have three each on record while the Province of Aklan has two.