MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police did not have a hand in the killing of nine sugar workers in Sagay City, Negros Occidental, according to Agrarian Reform secretary John Castriciones.
Castriciones on Monday said it is impossible for government forces to get involved in the massacre.
“First of all, I would like to make it clear that they do not have any involvement in this incident,” he said.
There have been allegations that land conflict was the motive in the attack.
Castriciones stressed that DAR “has always pushed for the peaceful resolution of land disputes between landowners and farmers through dialogues and mediation meetings.”
Armed men gunned the sugar workers down while they were resting in their makeshift shanty in Hacienda Nene, Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City around 9:30 p.m. on Oct. 20.
Three of sugar workers who attempted to escape were set on fire, according to the Sagay City police station.
Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares has blamed the Duterte administration and the military for the incident.
According to Colmenares, the government forces had claimed that the cultivation areas being maintained by the sugar farmers were New People’s Army’s communal farms./PN
