Rebels kill Lumad farmer in South RP

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / December 18, 2009) – Suspected New People’s Army rebels killed a farmer before his horrified family in the southern Philippines, the military said on Friday.

It said a band of communist rebels barged in the house Thursday of Efren Sindaton, 32, in the village of Dagohoy in Davao del Norte’s Talaingod town and shot him in front of his wife and three children.

Sindaton, an Ata-Manobo farmer, was killed instantly, said Major General Carlos Holganza, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division.

“We are appalled by such show of barbarism and inhuman acts of these terrorists. Killing an individual is an immoral act but killing a father in front of his children is totally a different crime only the devil can do. Words cannot express the arrogance and evil mindset of these criminals,” Holganza said in a statement.

“We condole with the Sindaton family as we vow to put the perpetrators of this heinous crime face the bar of justice. The long arms of the law will catch-up with them and those responsible will pay for their crimes against our people,” he added.

He said rebels on Monday also killed Fernando Timbal, a bank driver, in an attack in Panabo City.

There was no immediate statement from the NPA about the military report, but the rebels have been previously accused by authorities as behind numerous attacks against civilians on suspicion they were military spy. (Mindanao Examiner)