Friday, February 29, 2008 Military tells NPA: Leave Davao in peace By Carlo P. Mallo
THE military is calling on the communist rebel group to "leave Davao in peace," echoing the sentiments of the family of slain businessman Vicente Ferrazzini.
Also, the military challenged the rebel group to bring the perpetrators to justice.
"Better yet, they leave the armed struggle," Major Medel Aguilar, chief of the 5th Civil Relations Group, said in an interview Thursday.
An open letter to the New People's Army (NPA) from a member of the Ferrazini family published in this paper Thursday called on the rebel group to "leave Davao and their family in peace."
"The family that was even more than willing to feed the rebels became the unsuspecting victim of the endless carnage proudly brandished by the rebel group," Aguilar said.
Vicente Ferrazzini, a local businessman, was shot dead by members of the NPA last January 4 as his car came to a slowdown due to traffic in the downtown area of Davao City.
An apology letter issued by leaders of the rebel group has been shrugged off by most sectors that condemned the gruesome murder of Ferrazini.
The murder was reportedly carried out for the reason that the Ferrazinis allowed the military to use as detachment a portion of the family owned estate in Catigan, Toril. The same estate has been previously used by rebel group as its encampment.
