Gunmen kill village head and 4-year-old
Rights group demands probe as suspicion falls on military
- ucanews.com reporter, Manila
- Philippines
- August 10, 2012
A rights group is calling for an independent investigation into the murder of a village head in Camarines Norte province.
Merlyn Bermas, 48, the head of Malaya village, in Camarines Norte province’s Labo Township, was gunned down on Tuesday by two men on a motorcycle while returning home from a nearby market.
A four-year-old boy was also killed and a 45-year-old farmer was wounded in the attack, according to Tinay Palabay, a spokesperson for rights group Karapatan.
The victims were riding a "hauler," a motorcycle with a sidecar, when the shooting occurred at around 3.30pm.
Witnesses did not see the gunmen's faces because they were wearing ski masks.
"We call on the government to immediately pull out troops from the area to ensure an independent probe into the incident," Palabay said.
Ideally the investigation team should be composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights, she added.
Karapatan says it has received several reports of rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, allegedly committed by the military in the province. Bermas had been accused by the military of being a communist rebel.
In February, he had helped expose the murders of four people who were allegedly killed by soldiers.
Bermas' daughter said her mother had recently received death threats from suspected military agents who also accused her of communist affiliations.
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Merlyn Bermas, 48, the head of Malaya village, in Camarines Norte province’s Labo Township, was gunned down on Tuesday by two men on a motorcycle while returning home from a nearby market.
A four-year-old boy was also killed and a 45-year-old farmer was wounded in the attack, according to Tinay Palabay, a spokesperson for rights group Karapatan.
The victims were riding a "hauler," a motorcycle with a sidecar, when the shooting occurred at around 3.30pm.
Witnesses did not see the gunmen's faces because they were wearing ski masks.
"We call on the government to immediately pull out troops from the area to ensure an independent probe into the incident," Palabay said.
Ideally the investigation team should be composed of representatives from human rights groups, the Church, local government, and the Commission on Human Rights, she added.
Karapatan says it has received several reports of rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, allegedly committed by the military in the province. Bermas had been accused by the military of being a communist rebel.
In February, he had helped expose the murders of four people who were allegedly killed by soldiers.
Bermas' daughter said her mother had recently received death threats from suspected military agents who also accused her of communist affiliations.
Related Reports
Netherlands seeks justice for slain missionary
Urban poor activist gunned down in Manila
