SAGAY 9 massacre suspects
Bacolod City — The police on Friday filed seven counts of murder against two suspects and several others before the Sagay City Prosecutor’s Office, in connection with the killing of nine civilians on Oct. 20.
Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, regional police director, in a press conference on Saturday, named the two accused as National Federation of Sugar Workers organizers Rene Manlangit and Rogelio Arquillo Jr.
He said the two were criminally liable as principals by indispensable cooperation and conspiracy.
The two conspired with an armed group and other John Does in executing the killing of the nine without giving them the opportunity to defend themselves, Negros Occidental acting police director Rodolfo Castil said.
The police submitted seven complaint-affidavits and two affidavits of witnesses to the Sagay City Prosecutor’s Office, he said.
Nine civilians died on Oct. 20, after being shot by a group of armed suspects in Hacienda Nene, Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City.
Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. announced Friday the creation of a special task force to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation of the Sagay 9 massacre “so that real truth and proper justice shall be served to the families of the victims at the soonest time possible.”
Bulalacao said based on their investigation, the victims were used as part of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)/New People’s Army (NPA) Oplan Bungkalan/Okupasyon by promising them land not knowing that they would become a part of a greater force to generate outrage against the government.
The NFSW is an above ground organization of the CPP-NPA, he said.
Bulalacao said they have eight complainant-witnesses, one of them a minor who survived the killing.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
