Malaya
December 9, 2010
A TEAM of scientists, botanists, and environmentalists have found that botanist Leonard Co, forester Sofronio Cortez, and farmer Julius Borromeo were not killed in crossfire.
Dr. Giovanni Tapang, a member of the fact-finding team and chair of AGHAM Advocates of Science and Technology for the People said the team found out that the gunfire was concentrated in the area where Co and his team were.
"Based on the evidence gathered at the site, the bullets only came from uphill and from only one direction," said Tapang.
"There was no indication of any crossfire… There were no bullet marks toward the ridge where the soldiers were positioned," he added.
The military has said the three were killed in the crossfire between troops and New People’s Army rebels on November 15 in Kananga, Leyte. Co’s group was then gathering specimens in a thickly forested area.
Tapang said the team also believed there were no rebels in the area.
"Granting that the military was shooting to their left side (toward the rebels side), why was the bulk of the bullet marks directed to their right (towards Co and company)? There were only a few trees that had bullet markings on the left side from the vantage position of where the military were positioned," Tapang said.
Co was hit by three bullets in the back. He and his team had spent more than a week exploring the geothermal reservation of the Lopez-owned Energy Development Corp., searching for indigenous tree species for a corporate forest restoration project. Two other employees of the company survived.
Tapang said the fact-finding team also found out that the military failed to provide immediate aid to Borromeo, despite repeated requests from one of the survivors.
"This prolonged the suffering of Borromeo, who later died from his wounds," he said.
Tapang urged the military, particularly the 19th Infantry Battalion, to identify the members of the squad and platoon, including their commanding officers.
The Armed Forces maintained the death of Co and his two companions was a result of a firefight between government forces and NPA rebels.
As a tribute to the efforts and life of Leonard Co, the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation has launched a Leonardo Co Forest Research Fund.
A sum of P100,000 every year, for years 2011 to 2016, would be made available to scientists who would want to research on Philippine biodiversity. – Angela Lopez de Leon, Victor Reyes and Raymond Africa
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