DOJ panel to probe labor leader’s slay

MANILA, Philippines — A special investigating team of the Department of Justice will look into the killing of labor leader Dandy Miguel in Laguna on Sunday.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that while it has not been confirmed if the killing was related to Miguel’s work as vice chairman of Pamantik-Kilusang Mayo Uno, the Administrative Order 35 committee’s technical working group took into consideration the method of the attack.

Miguel suffered eight gunshot wounds in the attack by motorcycle-riding men in Barangay Canlubang in Calamba.

“Considering that Miguel was an active trade union leader and that the method of attack showed a deliberate intent to kill, the AO 35 technical working group recommended the creation of a special investigating team... to conduct a more thorough probe of the incident and establish the identity of the perpetrators,” Guevarra said.

He said the National Bureau of Investigation would form part of the panel, which could also collaborate with the Commission on Human Rights.

The AO 35 Task Force was formed to investigate extrajudicial killings, tortures and other grave violations.

Police still have no leads on the killing as of Tuesday.

NPA attacks foiled

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Debold Sinas said the raid on the suspected armory of communist rebels in Sta. Rosa, Laguna scuttled the plan of the insurgents to deploy urban guerrilla units in Metro Manila.

Agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Tuesday seized seven rifles and handguns as well as improvised explosive devices and a grenade launcher in the house of labor sector organizer Maritess Santos in Barangay Market Area.

“The thwarted plans are part of the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army) effort to revive armed city partisan units while preparing hit squads based in the countryside that could be deployed to cities on missions,” Sinas said.

The PNP chief did not say if the rebels were planning to launch attacks during the Holy Week.

Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro, CIDG director, said CPP founder Jose Maria Sison ordered the NPA’s Special Partisan Units to conduct liquidation operations against government personalities.