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After Alston and Melo Report, another Partylist leader killed by death squads  (To download factsheet - Save link As...)

DAVAO CITY – Anakpawis Party-list condemns in the strongest possible term the latest cold-blooded attack against one of its leaders. 

Renato Torrecampo Pacaide, 53, secretary general of Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Davao del Sur (NAMADS) and the concurrent coordinator of Anakpawis-Davao del Sur was assassinated by two armed motorcycle-riding men at 10:45 this morning along Rizal Avenue corner Lim Street in Digos, Davao del Sur.

“We hold the Arroyo government and the Armed Forces of the Philippines responsible for the killing of Pacaide," Editha "Inday" Duterte, Anakpawis-Southern Mindanao spokesperson said.

"In the midst of national and international condemnation against political killings, the senseless and brutal killings against members and leaders of progressive party-lists and organizations continue without compunction,” Duterte said.

Duterte noted that at the onset of May election, soldiers from the 39th Infantry Battalion-AFP under the command of Lt. Gerard Ho has been campaigning against Anakpawis and its allied party-lists in Davao del Sur.  The military has accused Anakpawis as NPA-supported or front of the armed revolutionary movement.

"Such maneuvers of the AFP had put our lives in peril. By relentlessly linking us with the CPP-NPA, the AFP under the aegis of the Arroyo government is giving outright license to kill our members and leaders," Duterte pointed out.

Anakpawis maintains that despite the continuous denial of Mrs. Gloria Arroyo and her lapdogs in Malacanang like Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzales and Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan (ret.), to the initial findings of the Melo Commission and United Nations Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur Philip Alston, they cannot hide the truth to the people.

"We demand justice for Pacaide! We dare the AFP and the Arroyo government to face their responsibility with the political killings," Duterte challenged.

For Reference: Nels Baustista, Public Information and Media Officer                           

nels_eic@yahoo.com, (82) 305-4962

Editha “Inday” Duterte, Regional Spokesperson

+63918.745.8566, (82) 305-4962