Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Slain peasant leader's kin: Justice is elusive By Grace L. Plata
FORTY days after the killing of peasant leader Celso Pojas, his family and colleagues say justice still eludes them.
In a protest rally held in front of the Davao City Police Office on Monday, the militants and Pojas's family called for a speedy resolution of the case.
"Hangtod karun nagpabilin nga hinay ang proseso sa imbestigasyon sa Task Force Pojas. Sa ika-40 diyas sa iyang kamatayon, nagpabiling hanap ang hustisya. Nagpakita sa pagka-inutil sa TF Pojas us sistemang hustisya sa Pilipinas (Until now, the investigation process remains slow. This shows the inutility of the Task Force Pojas as well as the justice system of the country)," said Tony Salubre, acting spokesperson of the Farmers Association of Davao City (FADC).
Salubre said they received information that the police already have a "reliable witnesses" in their custody.
"Naa na sa CIDG two weeks ago pa. Wala pa lang gyud nila gipalabas (The witness has been with the CIDG since two weeks ago it's just that the CIDG has kept this under wraps)," Salubre said.
"Among panawagan ang paspas nga imbestigasyon ug kung unsa man ang mga significant development sa case, dapat hinanali kini nga ipahibalo sa pamilya ni Celso, mga kauban ug sa publiko (Our call is to hasten the investigation and for authorities to inform the family, colleagues and the public of any significant development in the case)," Salubre added.
Pojas was slain on May 15 by two armed men just outside the FADC office in Maa.
He was the secretary general of FADC and spokesperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in Southern Mindanao.
