By Marisol Bo-oc | 05:24 PM February 18, 2021
The Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion (47th IB) slammed Humabol and other progressive groups for accusing the military of having a hand in the death of a woman village councilor who was killed by unknown assailants inside her home in Barangay Hanopol Norte in Balilihan town last Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Lucresia Tasic, a village councilwoman in Barangay Hanopol Norte in Balilihan town, was shot to death by unidentified men, claiming to be Capitol employees supposed to conduct “operation tuli”.
However, 1Lt. Elma Grace Remonde-Abulencia, spokesperson of
Civil-Military Operations Officer of Katapatan Battalion-471B, debunked Humabol’s statement that they had no knowledge of the killings.
“We are much saddened by the incident happened in Brgy Hanopol Norte, Balilihan on February 16, 2021. But the army has nothing to do with the murder of Hon Lucresia,” Abulencia said.
Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon (Humabol), in a statement, said that Tasic, a top councilor of her village, was a campaigner for Anakpawis Partylist in her locality.
“Being affiliated with Anakpawis, which has been continually red-tagged by the government, made Lucresia a subject to various harassments by state forces who wanted her to “clear” her name and quit the organization,” the statement said.
Humabol said that the harassments turned to worse when her daughter married the son of Domingo Compoc whom the military alleged to be a commander of the New People’s Army (NPA).
Domingo’s brother, Pelagio Compoc, a farmer and barangay tanod, was also shot dead by unidentified men on January 22 last year.
“The way Lucresia’s assailants introduced themselves was similar to those of unidentified men who also coerced progressive leaders to surrender in recent months: they always claimed to be either employees of the province or from the OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process) who wanted to arrange a meeting between the victims and their military head,” Humabol said.
The 47IB said it strongly condemned the unlawful act committed by the culprits.
“We assure the public that the army has a high regard for human rights and we know killing innocent civillian is a criminal act.
Our sincere sympathy to the bereaved family. The Philippine Army is with you in achieving juglice for Councilor Tasic,” Abulencia said.