Thursday, January 25, 2007 Soldier accused of firing gun to disperse protesters By Grace L. Plata
A MEMBER of a Task Force Davao was accused of firing two shots to disperse rallyists protesting outside the Waterfront Insular Hotel where an ongoing Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) assessment conference was being held.
The rallyists, however, did not say why they thought it appropriate to storm the privately owned hotel premises.
Remil Sioco of the Fortich Land Farmers Beneficiaries Association said the soldier cocked his rifle and fired it in the air twice after saying, "Patyon ko na inyong lider (I will shoot your leader)", frightening the protesters.
Several rallyists confirmed that the soldier indeed fired his gun.
Staff Sergeant Conrado Nequias, Task Force Davao team leader, denied the allegations saying no shot was ever fired.
Nequias said he himself cocked his rifle, with an empty magazine, just to warn the protesters not to be unruly.
Nequias clarified that with the scuffle, a certain noise may have been mistaken for gun shots.
The accused soldier, who was later identified as a certain Flores, refused to be interviewed although he denied the allegations.
