Police officer says bullets that killed Kidapawan protesters not from PNP

MANILA – Police said the bullets that killed two farmers did not come
from the police special weapons and tactics during the dispersal of farmers’
protest in Kidapawan City, a police official told a Senate hearing Wednesday which TV networks aired live.

This claim made senators in disbelief since no other persons with arms
during the protest rally but the police SWAT.

During the April 1 dispersal, two protesters were killed. They were Darwin
Sulang, a 22-year-old farmer, and bystander Enrico Fabilgar, 30.

According to Senior Supt. Alejandro Gunao, PNP-12 Crime Laboratory
Office chief, ballistic examination showed that the bullets that felled the two
farmers were from an M-16 Armalite rifle.

Visibly awed with Gunao’s statement, Senate Justice Committee member Sen. Allan PeterCayetano asked who were the armed
persons during the rally but the police SWAT.

Gunao insisted the findings of ballistic exam showed the bullets that
felled the two protesters were from Armalite rifle. The SWAT personnel were armed with M-16 baby”
Armalite rifles.

Cayetano said a TV
footage that went viral in the internetshowed a SWAT member walking at the same time firing his Armalite
rifle.

Have you checked all the PNP firearms involved in the dispersal?,”
Cayetano asked Gunao who said yes sir.”

Senator Tito Sotto asked Senior Supt. Alexander Tagum, the highest
police officer on the ground during the dispersal, if there was anyone from the
protesters who were armed with M-16 rifle.
Tagum said in affirmative.

Tagum said the victims could have been killed by militants who
infiltrated the protesters.

Tagum told the Senate committee he has a witness who saw men with long
firearms in the ranks of the protesters.

Why did you not arrest them before the dispersal?We have election gun ban,” Sotto asked.

As to who really shot and killed the two farmers remained
unanswered to date.