World | Philippines
Gunmen kill Philippine farmers' leader, army blamed
Two gunmen on a motorcycle shot and killed the leader of a left-wing farmers' group in the southern Philippines on Thursday, his colleagues said, blaming the military for the attack.
- Reuters
- Published: 13:42 May 15, 2008
Benguet: A communist rebel was allegedly beheaded by government troopers in a far flung northern Luzon province, a rebel source said.
Last April 21, members of the communist New People's Army (NPA) recovered in Tubtuba village in Tubo province the remains of Sammy Rey Cayagoa which was beheaded, said Diego Wadagan, spokesman of the NPA's northern regional command.
"His one hand and foot were missing. His body had also been decapitated," said Wadagen, adding that the back portion Cayagoa's skull was shattered to pieces.
Desecration
The NPA blamed government soldiers for beheading and desecrating the remains of Cayagoa after the latter's death following an encounter with government soldiers in Tubtuba on March 24.
The NPA will file a formal case against the military for the incident, the leftist spokesman said in a message sent to media men. The NPA turned over Cayagoa's remains to his family on May 2.
Government soldiers are still on combat operation against NPA in the northern area.
At least eight government soldiers were reportedly killed during the two-month-long combat operations in March, said the NPA, but the military has denied the allegation.
Meanwhile, Philippine army chief Lieutenant-General Victor Ibrado announced that a military battalion will receive a cash incentive of 300,000 pesos (Dh27,273) with the destruction of an NPA lair in the provinces.
"This is not a bounty, this is being given to add impetus to military operations, and to improve operations so that the NPA will be crushed in 2010, the deadline given by President Gloria Arroyo," Ibrado said.
His [Sammy Rey Cayagoa's] one hand and foot were missing. His body had also been decapitated."
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