Churchpeople dismayed over TF Rebelyn’s exoneration of military agents

Press Release
May 11, 2009

The Exodus for Justice and Peace is dismayed with Task Force Rebelyn for not only exonerating the suspected military agents for the abduction and murder of Rebelyn Pitao, but also turning its accusing fingers towards the victim’s family.

Exodus for Justice and Peace spokesperson Pastor Amancio Benegian said “The exoneration is testament to how the military has made a travesty of our quest for justice and an insult to our sense of dignity and the family’s continuing grief and loss.”

He also said that it was “unreasonable and unwarranted for the Task Force to drop the military agents from their  probe by saying that there was lack of cooperation on the part of the family. This only exposes their inability to protect witnesses and Rebelyn's family.”

The group further finds absurd that the Task Force is pursuing the angle that the New People's Army is  responsible for Rebelyn's death because of his father, Leoncio 'Ka Parago' Pitao's finance opportunism and in retaliation for the latter’s killing of a rebel returnee.  Benegian said “it is more absurd that they are probing the Pitaos of their properties. If they could be  this diligent in probing the Pitaos, why can they not be diligent in probing  the suspects, the AFP's Military Intelligence Group and Intelligence Battalion, who are staying right there in their camps?” 

“Two months after Rebelyn’s barbaric death, Task Force Rebelyn has now unleashed its real motive and reason for being: to absolve the military establishment itself. The outcome of the investigation has nothing to do with bringing justice over Rebelyn’s rape and gruesome death on the hands of suspected military agents. It has nothing to do with reviewing the counterinsurgency program, Oplan Bantay Laya 2 which targets non-military entities and civilians. It has nothing to do with pursuing prosecution of suspects in the context of increasing extrajudicial killings in the region and elsewhere in Mindanao, “ the EJP noted.

The Task Force Rebelyn’s recent pronouncement further bolsters what the United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston had cited in his report: the failure of the state to stop the killings.

The EJP added that “the dismal if not unacceptable pronouncement of Task Force Rebelyn does not hinder our search for justice.  All the more there is need for an independent probe, be it the continuing investigation on the part of the Commssion on Human Rights, or by other bodies or nongovernment entities, to produce real results  and aid us in our quest for genuine justice for Rebelyn and other victims of state-sponsored killings.”


For reference:

Pastor Amancio Benegian
Spokesperson
Exodus for Justice and Peace
0928-6059209 

This post was written by: Exodus for Justice and Peace

Exodus for Justice and Peace is a clergy-led peace group. Follow EJP on Twitter