THE Army's 10th Infantry Division belied allegations by a militant organization attributing the deaths of several people in Davao Region to their soldiers.
Captain Alexandre Cabales, acting chief of the 10th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the 10th Infantry Division, do not condone any misbehavior and abuses of its members.
He said the division urged the organizations, like Karapatan, to file complaints against suspects of those killings—soldiers or not—before the appropriate government investigating or judicial bodies so justice will be served.
"If the suspects are members of the division, we will welcome, cooperate and support the investigations and judicial process. We will be grateful to those who will help us purge our ranks of misfits and abusive members," Cabales said.
Cabales also urged the organizations to go beyond their usual communist propaganda lines and seek justice for those victims through the rule of law and not through press releases and statements.
"The police likewise called upon the community or anyone who has information to help them in their investigations. The allegations against our soldiers are therefore unfounded without any basis," he added.
Cabales said based on their initial investigations and research of police reports, the deaths of the couple Ramon and Leonila Pesadilla in Compostela, the couple Arlene and Arman Alcominar, Cora Lina in Laak, Pedro Pandagay in Mabini, Danilo Nadal and Edwin Catog in Pantukan, and Elias Pureza in San Isidro in Davao del Norte are still under investigation and that there is still no suspect.