It has not been determined who the armed men who ransacked the home of the Fausto family on three occasions prior to their killing were, Commission on Human Rights-Negros Occidental head Vincent Parra, said on Saturday, June 24.
CHR investigation shows that armed men ransacked the home of the Fausto family at Sitio Kangkiling, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, prior to their killing in the evening of June 14.
Killed were Rolly Sabanal Fausto, 52, his wife Emilda, 49, and their sons aged 11 and 15 years old.
They have yet to determine whether the culprits who ransacked the Fausto home earlier were government soldiers or New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, and what they were looking for, Parra, said.
PLt. Col. Reynante Jomocan, Himamaylan police chief, said they have two witnesses to the Fausto killing who have executed affidavits. Fifteen New People’s Army men have been pinpointed as having perpetuated the massacre, he said.
Jomocan said they are waiting for the post mortem examination and crime lab results for the filing of charges against about 15 NPA members more or less for the murder of the Faustos.
Parra said their investigation shows that prior to the killing Emilda had reported three cases of harassment to the Buenavista barangay office, which were recorded.
Emilda reported that witnesses informed her that eight persons entered their house while they were working in a field on March 13. The armed, who were wearing uniforms that looked like that of the Army ransacked their house but nothing was missing, she reported.
On March 18 six men in civilian clothes were again seen inside their house while they were out working, Emilda also reported.
Emilda said on May 12 when she returned home from work she discovered that the door of their house was broken and their clothes were messed up.
“We cannot conclude if the men who entered the Fausto house where government soldiers or the NPA, anybody can wear Army uniforms,” Parra said
Parra said the CHR will be visiting Barangay Carol-an, Kabankalan City, to interview Emilda’s relatives there to determine if they have any knowledge of the claim that the Faustos have been red-tagged.
He said Faustos previously lived in Carol-an before moving to Barangay Buenavista where they have been living for less than a year.
The Faustos did not own the land where their house was located in Himamaylan, they were hard up and worked at nearby sugarcane farms, Parra said.*