The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ declaration of a victory in the killing of New People’s Army commander Leoncio “Kumander Parago” Pitao and his medical aide Vanessa Limpag last June 28, is marred by the probability of an international humanitarian law violation.
The NPA belied claims of the military that Parago and his medical aide were killed in an encounter.
“The Philippine Army must be very proud and happy to have killed a very sick man and an unarmed medic,” NPA-Southern Mindanao Region spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez said in a statement.
Parago’s killing, if the NPA’s report proves to be accurate, stokes the fire of impunity, weakens the rule of law, and throws a monkey wrench on the peace talks between the GPH and the NDFP. Here is Bulatlat.com’s report.
Meanwhile, Maj. General Eduardo Año, chief of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division, personally formed and headed Task Force Minion to hunt down Parago, according to a Davao Today report.
Año was implicated in the enforced disappearance of farmer-activist Jonas Burgos.
