DOJ’s absolution of murder by the 19th IBPA denies justice to K3 victims, reaffirms reign of impunity – Katungod SB

By KATUNGOD-Sinirangan Bisayas-KARAPATAN
March 3, 2013

TACLOBAN CITY – “The recommendation of the Department of Justice (DoJ) regarding the case of the so-called Kananga 3 massacre which killed UP Professor Leonard Co and two other companions is very contemptible yet comes not as a surprise to us. In fact, this has been the second time the DoJ absolved the military elements despite evidences suggesting otherwise a different circumstance from the DoJ’s official recommendation,” says Rev. Irma Balaba-Mepico, regional coordinator of Katungod Sinirangan Bisayas-KARAPATAN.

The DoJ, in a 19-page report, approved the filing of charges for ‘reckless imprudence resulting to homicide and attempted homicide’ against nine 19th IBPA soldiers while ‘obstruction of justice’ against 27 others on the death of UP Professor Leonard Co and his two other companions in November 2010.

“Save for the AFP’s likely consideration of the Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) view of ‘mistaken identity’, it does not suffice to dismiss the criminal act when the operating military elements denied one of the victims an immediate medical attention to his gunshots that eventually caused his death. This particular fact establishes that harm was indeed intended against the victims,” adds Balaba of Katungod-SB.

Katungod-SB also cites that survivor’s narrative indicated that they also appealed to the military to cease firing upon them since they are civilians but the plea failed. Even forensic analysis presented during the public hearing at Leyte Park Hotel suggested that Co was shot in a closer position which could have clarified the victims’ identity as civilians.

“With these circumstances in mind, we could only get enough reason to get repulsive to such a downgraded recommendation. It merely portrays even vividly how government institutions under President Noynoy Aquino orchestrate continuing human rights violations by projecting a totally different public image while it condones state-induced violence. The CHR and DoJ could only be so lenient and considerate to human rights violators upon offsetting a rather dastardly act of murder to keep it attuned to the chorus of ‘tuwid na daan’ and ‘upholding human rights’,” Balaba stressed.

Upon hearing the outcome, Katungod-SB projected that the DoJ’s recommendation becomes ‘a prodding for the military to commit more acts of violence against the people in the smokescreen of upholding peace and development especially under Oplan Bayanihan. More human rights violations are happening in and out of the Philippine countryside to date while the military keeps on parading its obsolete spiels of renewed commitment to respect civil liberties and CARHIHL.’