Digos massacre should be an engine for peace, says Rep. Alcover

“We commemorate the infamous Digos Massacre not to push further the sorrow and hate among us, especially the family of the 40 victims, but to renew our commitment to achieve peace for all of us,” said ANAD Partylist Rep. Jun Alcover during the 20th commemoration of the infamous Digos massacre in Sitio Matti, Barangay Binaton, Digos City. Alcover, together with Bantay Partylist Representative Jovito Palparan Jr. led the commemoration activities there. Davao del Sur District 1 Representative Marc Cagas also graced the gathering participated by some 1,000 residents of both Sitio Rano and Matti, held at a roadside of Sitio Matti.

A commemorative marker of that gory incident, constructed through the efforts of Barangay Council of Binaton and ably supported by the officers and men of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion headed by Lt Col. Lyndon Paniza, was unveiled.
Last June 25, 1989, while inside a village chapel attending a Sunday service, about 40 men, women, and children were mercilessly murdered by some 120 armed Maoist communist terrorists New People’s Army (NPA) led by Amado Payot, aka Benzar. Using M-60 machineguns and armalite rifles. “Samtang nag porma sila ug letra C, ilang girapidohan mi ug gipamusil, dayon gipamutol ang ulo sa duha ka mga lalaki (While making a letter C formation, they opened fire on us then cut-off the head of two men),” said Adronico Edianon, the man, shown in many a picture of the Digos massacre, holding a head surrounded by dead children and women. Edianon is now a Barangay councilman of Binaton.

Alcover called on all Filipinos to intently reflect and learn about the real character and intentions of the Maoist communist NPA from the Digos massacre. “The Digos massacre should always remind us that indeed those who profess as protectors of human rights and justice are actually the real purveyors of death and destruction of our democratic ideals and freedoms,” he added.
Alcover and Palparan assured the residents of the area that next year’s commemoration activities shall be held right Sitio Rano, the site where it happened. “With the help of other government agencies, we will try our best to construct a road from the main highway to Sitio Rano, in time for next year’s celebration,” they assured the residents.

Later in the afternoon, some 3,000 people from Barangay Binaton and other neighboring barangays of Digos City, and some municipalities of Davao del Sur gathered at the city’s public market to protest and condemn the continued inhuman atrocities against the Filipino people.
Alcover called on the protesters to be firm and steadfast in their commitment to oppose and peaceably confront the unabated murders perpetrated by the Maoist communist NPA. “We do not believe that the problem could best be solved by bullets and guns alone. But a strong and sustained education and counter-organizing campaign of all freedom loving Filipinos is, by any measure, the best way to put a stop to their barbarism,” Alcover explained.