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Saturday, October 29, 2005
Army leaves Hacienda Luisita
By Marna H. Dagumboy
CAMP OLIVAS -- Military and police authorities Friday agreed to pull out a Philippine Army (PA) detachment in Hacienda Luisita to ease the tension left by the assassination last Wednesday of Central Azucarera de Tarlac Labor Union (Catlu) president Ricardo Ramos.
Senior Superintendent Perfecto Palad, Task Force Ramos head, said a platoon of Army troopers in a detachment in Barangay Mapalacsiao, Tarlac City has been sent back to its mother unit temporarily while the investigation behind Ramos's death is still ongoing.
He said communications had been sent to the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) to furnish them a copy of the list of personnel detailed at the detachment in the barangay from March 2005 to date.
The task force assured the family of Ramos of a positive result of the investigation and the subsequent filing of criminal charges in court against those behind the killing of the Catlu leader.
Ramos was shot dead last Wednesday while having a drinking spree with fellow workers at the Hacienda Luisita. He died of two gunshot wounds in the head.
Police investigators recovered two spent shell for M14 assault rifle a few meters away from the crime site.
Senior Inspector Jhoanna Ponseca, spokesperson for the Central Luzon police, said the task force recommended the pull out of Army troops so as not to hamper the ongoing investigation and avoid the perception of a whitewash.
As this developed, the Task Force Ramos announced that it will summon Army Private First Class Rhoderick de la Cruz and Private First Class Romeo Castillo Jr., both assigned to the Army detachment in Barangay Mapalacsiao, to answer allegations of their involvement in the killing.
The task force has requested commanding officers of the Nolcom and the 7th Infantry Division to make the two soldiers available to the police for questioning.
Witnesses tagged dela Cruz and Castillo, both members of the Special Operations Team (SOT) based in Central Luzon, as the same persons who were seen near the area prior to the killing of Ramos.
(October 29, 2005 issue)
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