At least two (2) progressive groups condemn the murder of a barangay kagawad in Balilihan town.
The Hugpong sa Mag-uumang Bol-anon-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Humabol-KMP), in a statement released on Facebook, condemned the killing of Lucrecia Tasic, 54, a barangay kagawad of barangay Hanopol Norte, Balllihan town, on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021.
“Lucresia, a top councilor of her village, was a campaigner for Anakpawis Partylist in her locality. She would put up campaign posters herself,” Humabol-KMP said in its statement.
It added: “Being affiliated with Anakpawis, which has been continually red-tagged by the government, made Lucresia a subject to various harassments by state forces who wanted her to “clear” her name and quit the organization. However, the harassments turned to worse when her daughter married the son of Domingo Compoc whom the military have alleged to be a commander of the [New People’s Army] NPA.”
It can be recalled that Domingo’s brother, Pelagio Compoc, who was a farmer and barangay tanod, was also shot dead by unidentified men on January 22, 2020.
“The way Lucresia’s assailants introduced themselves was similar to those of unidentified men who also coerced progressive leaders to surrender in recent months: they always claimed to be either employees of the province or from the OPAPP [Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process] who wanted to arrange a meeting between the victims and their military head,” the Humabol-KMP statement bared.
In another statement, Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo (SAMA) condemned the murder of Tasic.
Tasic was killed by 2 men who allegedly introduced themselves as Capitol employees.
Meanwhile, Gov. Arthur Yap in a statement on Tuesday evening, said tagging provincial employees as assailants is inaccurate as the police’s investigation is just starting.