Manila. - League of Cities of the Philippines National President and GRP Peace Panel Adviser Edgardo Pamintuan, Mayor of Angeles City, has threatened to file a formal case against television and radio network GMA 7 and its reporter Jessica Bartolome for publishing a "wrong and very dangerous and damaging report."
In its online gmanews.com, Bartolome wrote, "Angeles City Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan, adviser of the government's peace panel, had earlier condemned the killings. He alleged that the CPP's armed wing, the New People’s Army, and its political wing, the National Democratic Front (NDF) are behind the killings due to land disputes."
"I never said that!," Pamintuan exclaimed. "That is a case of malicious reporting. The reporter twisted the truth," Pamintuan added.
In his statement published at the website of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Pamintuan condemned the slayings of farmer leaders and ask the PNP and local officials to take serious actions against the perpetrators. There was no mention whatsoever of any allegation against the Philippine left.
"The victims were progressive farmer leaders. How can I accuse the NPA and NDF of masterminding the slaying when I know for a fact that the revolutionary forces and progressives organizations have almost similar goals and will never harm each other," Pamintuan said.