PNP eyes three angles in Sagay massacre

Aside from the involvement of the New People's Army, the Philippine National Police is also looking into two other angles in the massacre of nine farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental over the weekend.

Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional director of the PNP in Western Visayas, said the other angles pointed to the role of land owners and to that of fellow tenants.

“Una, ang insidente ay isinagawa ng may-ari ng lupa. Maaaring gumamit siya ng mga armed goons para maisakatuparan ang kanyang pag-prevent sa pag-occupy sa kanyang lupa,” Bulalacao said.

Bulalacao said a source told the police that 40 persons received a bid or donation from the owner.

Some of these 40 persons told members of Negros Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) to leave Hacienda Nene when they arrived on October 20.

“Pero ‘di sila umalis. Noong kinagabihan, nagkaroon na ng shooting incident,” Bulalacao said.

The PNP also has information that the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA) was planning to occupy private and government properties in the area under the supposed operations Oplan Bungkalan and Oplan Okupasyon.

He also mentioned that no regular members of NFSW—which they believed just a front of NPA—died in the shooting, but only newly recruited members.

“Nagtataka ang mga imbestigador, dalawang araw palang na-rerecruit ng NFSW, iniwan na nila sa lugar. Noong umalis yung mga nag-recruit sa kanila, allegedly para mag-charge ng telepono,  biglang may mga pumutok at wala man lang sa siyam na namatay ang regular members ng NFSW,” Bulalacao said.

He said that the NPA’s possible motive to this crime is to fuel wrath in the public against the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the PNP and, generally, the government.

On Monday, survivors denied that the NFSW was a front of the NPA. —Joviland Rita/NB, GMA News