By JEFFREY DAMICOG
The inter-agency committee on extrajudicial killings will investigate the death of trade unionist Dandy Miguel, Department of Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra said Wednesday.
“Although the motive for his killing may not be clear as at this time, considering that Miguel was an active trade union leader and that the method of attack showed a deliberate intent to kill, the AO (Administrative Order) 35 technical working group has recommended the creation of a special investigating team (SIT) under the aegis of the AO 35 committee to conduct a more thorough probe of the incident and establish the identity of the perpetrators,” he said.
Guevarra said the SIT is headed by a DoJ prosecutor “who will lead the case build-up.”
“The NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) is definitely a part of the team,” the secretary said.
“And the SIT may collaborate with the CHR (Commission on Human Rights), if necessary,” he added.
The inter-agency committee was created in 2012 under AO 35 issued by then President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” C. Aquino III to investigate extra-legal killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave violations of the right of life, liberty and security of persons.
Miguel, vice chairperson of Kilusan Mayo Uno’s Pagkakaisa ng Mangagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (PAMANTIK-KMU), was gunned down at around 8:45 p.m. last March 28 by an unidentified gunman riding a motorcycle in Barangay Canlubang in Calamaba, Laguna.
The killing took place just three weeks after the March 7 joint police and military operations conducted in Cavite, Laguna, Rizal and Batangas against persons with suspected links to communist terrorists.
During the serving of search warrants last March 7, nine unarmed activists were killed and six others arrested during the operations.
