PNP backs Army on botanist’s death

Anthony Vargas
Dateline.ph
Posted on 22 Nov 2010 at 6:17pm

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) is backing the military’s claim that leading Filipino botanist Leonardo Co and two companions died after they were caught in the crossfire as soldiers clashed with communist rebels in Leyte last week.

PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr. said forensic investigators from the Eastern Visayas regional police office have reconstructed the crime scene and their “initial investigation showed that there (was the) presence of NPA (New People’s Army) rebels and according to the witnesses there was an exchange of gunfire.”

He added that investigators had recovered from the scene of the incident shells of still unknown caliber that did not come from soldiers’ weapons.

“There are witnesses who said that there was exchange of fire and aside from the fact that from the initial reconstructions, they have recovered some shells that (are) not in the inventory of the AFP,” Cruz said.

“Our intention here is to have a comprehensive and transparent investigation and so that we can pinpoint from where or who really shot the UP botanist,” he said. “What they (investigators) are now doing is conducting paraffin test to all of the participating elements from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and of course all of their firearms will be subjected to ballistic exams so we can find out . . . where the bullets came from.”

The PNP spokesman said troops of the Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) who were sent to check on reported rebel presence in the area of the incident were unaware the five-man research team Co was leading was in the area.

“That is what (is) coming out from our initial investigation, that they (did not) know that somebody (was) conducting research in that place,” Cruz said.

But he stressed that investigators intend to take the accounts of all possible witnesses and analyze all the evidence collected.

“Those that will be found liable (for the death of Co), we will charge them with criminal cases aside from their liability under the Articles of War, but on our part we will be the one that will file the criminal complaint,” Cruz said.

The Army maintains Co, forest guard Sofronio Cortez and farmer Julius Borromeo died when they were caught in the clash in the forests of Kananga town last November 15.