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Hontiveros, De Lima raise alarm on Negros killings

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Dharel Placido, ABS-CBN News

MANILA – Minority Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros have expressed concern over the spate of killings in Negros Oriental under President Rodrigo Duterte.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/30/19/spate-of-slays-what-is-happening-in-negros-oriental">Spate of slays: What is happening in Negros Oriental? </a></li></ul>Sen. Risa Hontiveros said Negros Oriental has been a hotbed of violence in recent years, witnessing 83 killings since January 2017. She said of the 34 killings this year, 17 were committed from July 23 to 27.The cases this year also include the <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/30/19/14-farmers-massacred-in-negros-oriental-lawmaker-says">14 farmers</a> massacred in Hacienda Nene in Sagay City, Negros Oriental last March 30, and the slay of four policemen by alleged New People’s Army rebels in Ayungon town last July 18.Hontiveros filed a resolution asking the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, led by Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, to investigate the string of violence in the province.She said majority of the victims were civilians, farmers and union leaders “wrongfully tagged as members of the New People’s Army.”“Only 2 of those killed were confirmed as rebels,” she noted in her resolution.“The gunmen carried out the executions either at broad daylight, within spitting distance of police precincts, or in the homes of their victims. These murderers seem to fear nothing and no one.”She also blasted the Philippine National Police’s anti-insurgency campaign “Oplan Sauron” in the province, which she said has led to civilian killings.“It appears our police and some members of our uniformed personnel are killing innocent people based on questionable information,” Hontiveros said.“Farmers, peasant and union leaders, and heads of families are executed for reasons that could collapse the moment we examine them.”Detained Sen. De Lima, meanwhile, asked if a military “death squad” exists in Negros Island.“If there are police death squads for suspected drug offenders, are there now AFP death squads for red-tagged civilians and officials roaming around Negros Island?” De Lima said in a dispatch.“Now it appears that Duterte has found a way on how to involve the AFP in his EJK (extrajudicial killings) campaign. He found an enemy and a target for them – red-tagged civilians and public officials and human rights defenders.”De Lima said if it is true that the President has turned the military complicit in his “murderous campaign,” the public would no longer have anyone to turn to.Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, a close ally of the President, said Duterte was considering placing Negros Oriental under martial law, confirming Presidential Spokesperson Salvado Panelo’s earlier statement.Go, however, allayed fears that Duterte would soon declare martial law nationwide.“Si Pangulong Duterte abugado po yan. Hindi naman po kailangan at wala namang basehan na dapat i-declare ang Martial Law,” Go said in a chance interview in Pasig City on Thursday.(President Duterte is a lawyer. Declaring a nationwide martial law is unnecessary and has no basis.)

MANILA – Minority Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros have expressed concern over the spate of killings in Negros Oriental under President Rodrigo Duterte.

MANILA – Minority Senators Leila de Lima and Risa Hontiveros have expressed concern over the spate of killings in Negros Oriental under President Rodrigo Duterte.

Hontiveros, De Lima raise alarm on Negros killings

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Hontiveros, De Lima raise alarm on Negros killings

Dharel Placido,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 02, 2019 04:31 PM PHT

Read More:

Risa Hontiveros

Leila de Lima

Bong Go

Negros Oriental

New People's Army

killings

insurgency

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