Military justifies keeping troops in Luisita, points fingers at NPA By Mario J. Mallari 03/16/2012

Military justifies keeping troops in Luisita, points fingers at NPA

By Mario J. Mallari 03/16/2012

The military has no plans to pull out troops from Hacienda Luisita in Tarlac, which is owned by the family of President Aquino and is subject of a Supreme Court decision ordering the distribution of the large sugar estate to its farm workers, despite calls from various groups to recall soldiers from the area.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. yesterday said the military leadership has no plans yet to reassign elements of the Army’s 3rd Mechanize Infantry Battalion, headed by Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres Jr., out of the Hacienda Luisita.

Burgos also expressed fears that only “bad and criminal elements,” including communist New People’s Army (NPA) could benefit if military troops are pulled out from the area..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/headlines/20120316hea3.html