By Charissa Luci-Atienza Anakpawis partylist Rep. Ariel “Ka Ayik” Casilao warned yesterday against any effort to harass or sabotage the National Fact-finding Mission on the March 30 mass killing of peasants in Negros Oriental. Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao
(MANILA BULLETIN) He issued the stern warning against the police and military, saying that the four-day fact-finding mission from April 5 to 8 should not be prevented from unraveling the truth from the incidents on March 30. “If any untoward incident happens to the fact-finding mission, we all know who have the motive, the very perpetrators, the police and military,” Casilao said in a statement. Leading the mission is the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, along with the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura, National Federation of Sugar Workers and Karapatan human rights group. “We also urge the people of Negros Oriental to support the fact-finding mission, as unabated mass killings perpetrated by the police and military, threaten their families and loved ones,” Casilao said, even as he welcomed the initial findings of the Commission on Human Rights that there was a pattern in the killings. He also hailed the Diocese of San Carlos Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and Governor Roel Degamo for assisting the families of the victims. Casilao and other Makabayan lawmakers earlier sought the resignation of PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde after the latter already concluded that the victims resisted arrest, resulting to their deaths. “Albayalde and his blood-thirsty butchers should prepare for their legal defense against criminal and administrative suits, once the circumstances are all gathered,” Casilao said. He called on the public, especially the social media community, to help end the killings against the farmers and seek justice for the 14 peasants who were supposedly killed by the elements of the PNP. “We urge support for the call ‘#JusticeForNegros14’ and ‘#StopKillingFarmers’” he said.