CHR to probe killing of botanist, 2 co-workers in military-rebel clash

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines—The findings of the Department of Justice (DoJ) that absolved Army soldiers of any liability in the killing of botanist Leonardo Co and his two co-workers will not have any impact on the public hearing on the case by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

CHR Regional Director for Eastern Visayas Paquito Nacino said that the findings of the DoJ absolving the members of the 19th Infantry Battalion in the deaths of Co, forest guard Sofronio Cortez, and farmer Julius Borromeo, had no bearing on the commission’s own probe.

The findings of the three-panel member of the DoJ would not influence the CHR investigation, said Nacino.

“It is just the findings of the DoJ. Remember, no case has been filed in court. It did not undergo a preliminary investigation,” Nacino said on Monday.

“The CHR will not be swayed with their findings. All our commissioners will be around during the public hearing and each of them will ask questions to our invited guests,” Nacino said.

The CHR en banc public hearing scheduled for January 26 and 27 in Tacloban City will be headed by Chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales.

Among those invited to the CHR hearing was Lieutenant Colonel Federico Tutaan, commanding officer of the 19th IB, the unit of the soldiers tagged in the killings of Co and his two co-workers.

The military had claimed they were conducting a legitimate operation against the New People’s Area and that Co and his two companions died in a crossfire.

Tutaan earlier said that he would be willing to face any investigation, including the CHR probe.

The findings of the DoJ were criticized by several groups, including the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Eastern Visayas.

NDF Eastern Visayas spokesman Santiago Salas described the findings as “pure hogwash.”

“It is deplorable that the so-called DoJ ‘fact-finding’ consisted of swallowing the military's alibi of a ‘crossfire’ and then spewing a whitewash on the public," Salas in an e-mailed statement dated January 21 said. (report from Joey A. Gabieta, Inquirer Visayas)