Cops to file raps vs rebels in Davao carnival blast

DAVAO CITY – The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is set file charges against members of the New People's Army (NPA) who were behind the grenade explosion in Paquibato district here that wounded 48 civilians.

Senior Superintendent Ronald M. dela Rosa, DCPO director, said they will file charges of multiple frustrated murder before the City Prosecution Office on Monday against the group of NPA leader Leoncio Pitao, alias Ka Parago, operating in Paquibato District.

Senior Police Officer 4 Jeffrey Bangcas, DCPO Investigation and Detection Management Branch case tracker, said one of the rebels who will be charged is alias Ryan, son of Parago, and other seven unidentified rebels who were reportedly at the area when explosion happened.

Dela Rosa said the motive of the suspects is to remove the Army's 69th Infantry Battalion's Peace and Development Team (PDT) and their detachment on the area.

"We learned that when the grenade exploded, one of the other NPA rebels ran towards the detachment of the soldiers, perhaps to get the firearms kay mao man jud na ilang trabaho (that’s how they work). But since the detachment was not well-lighted kailangan pa niya kapaon kung asa ang mga armas (the rebel had to look for the firearms) that he didn’t know the PDT were ready to fire him. When he was accosted by one of the soldiers, nidagan siya (the rebel ran) prompting a civilian to warn the PDTs not to chase him because someone was on guard outside and ready to fire the soldiers," Dela Rosa said.

Dela Rosa said they are gathering evidences and testimonies of the witnesses.

Brigadier General Ariel B. Bernardo, commander of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said they will never pullout the detachment in the area.

"Alam naman natin lahat ano yung main purpose ng AFP and that is to serve and protect the people. We will continue with our Peace and Development Outreach Program in the area," Bernardo said.

Lawyer Alberto Sipaco, director of the Commission on Human Rights Davao Region, said as far as Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law is concern, the act should not be done.

"The law does not specify how far is far, how near is near, how near is far, and how far is near. The soldiers are there so as to implement their PDOP, which is for the welfare of the residents. Now, ano ang mali doon? (what’s wrong with it?) The act that was committed," Sipaco said.

Sipaco added that they will deploy their investigators on Monday along with the DCPO personnel and Army's 10th Infantry Division troops to conduct their own investigation. (ICT of Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)