Minor who survived Sagay massacre arrested by police —labor group

A minor who survived the massacre of nine farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental was "illegally" arrested by the Sagay Police on Wednesday morning, according to a sugar workers group that quoted the National Union of People's Lawyer.

According to a Facebook post of the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), the minor was set to be turned over by his grandparents after being held in the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development.

They were supposed to be accompanied during the turnover by NUPL lawyer Kathy Panguban, who was also quoted by the NFSW as the source of the information.

The information has yet to be independently verified with the police.

Former Bayan Muna representative Teddy Casiño also posted a related tweet.

URGENT ALERT

One minor who survived the Sagay massacre was illegally arrested this morning by the Sagay PNP, accdg to Atty. Panguban of NUPL.

This morning, she was set to assist his grandparents to turn him over after being held in the custody of the DSWD#JusticeForSagay9

— Teddy Casiño (@teddycasino) October 24, 2018

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna chairman and former Representative Neri Colmenares, on his Twitter account, called for the release of the arrested minor.

He said the public should keep a watchful eye on the schemes of the Philippine National Police (PNP) against the survivors of the Sagay massacre.

Sila na nga ang biktima, sila pa ang hinuhuli! Dapat bantayan ang balak ng PNP sa mga survivors ng Sagay 9 masaker. Dapat ding agad na palayain ang batang inaresto!!! #JusticeForSagay9 #StopKillingFarmers #StopTheAttacks https://t.co/6vneNepaLT

— Neri Colmenares (@ColmenaresPH) October 24, 2018

Colmenares has earlier held the Duterte administration and the military responsible for the murder of nine farmers.

Both the military and the police have denied having any hand in the killings.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenza rebutted to the allegation and said that Colmenares was just trying "to discredit President Duterte’s administration and gain public attention." — MDM, GMA News