Suspect in Geertman slay identified from PNP mug shots, says CHR exec

Wilhelmus JJ Lutz Geertman FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–A suspect in the July 3 killing of Dutch development worker Wilhelmus JJ Lutz Geertman has been identified by a witness through mug shots compiled by the Philippine National Police, a human rights official said Tuesday.

“One of the suspects was positively identified from the rogue gallery of the PNP by one of the witnesses,’’ Jasmin Regino, Region 3 director of the Commission on Human Rights, said in an investigation report.

Regino, however, said that the suspect’s identity could not yet be revealed because of the ongoing manhunt by the police in Region 3.

Quoting the police, Lawyer Rolando Miranda of the National Union of People’s Lawyers, said the suspect had been involved in robbery and kidnap-for-ransom cases.

CHR opened its own investigation into Geertman’s case in light of claims by his co-workers and siblings that he was killed because of his advocacies for the rights of peasants and indigenous peoples.

Church leaders said Geertman, 67, was the 13th victim of extrajudicial killings under the Aquino administration.

Geertman was executive director of Alay Bayan Luson Inc., a non-government organization involved in disaster preparedness and mitigation; emergency response; rehabilitation; advocacy networking and mobilization.

Two men barged into ABI’s office at the L&s Subdivision in San Fernando City at past noon of July 3 and shot Geertman in the back before his own staff, and made off with Geertman’s bag containing the P1.2 million he had withdrawn from a bank in Angeles City.

The assailants were caught on the subdivision’s CCTV fleeing on a motorcycle driven by another man, which was tailed by a Mitsubishi Lancer car. Police were looking into the involvement of four persons in the crime.

According to his brother, Geertman had received death threats stemming from his involvement in campaigns to save the forests for farmers and indigenous peoples.

Geertman devoted much of his life helping shipyard workers, farmers and tribal folk, mostly in Aurora, in eastern Philippines. He was one of the founders of Bataris and the Justice and Peace Action Group, both non-government organizations based in Baler.

Regino said the local police in Telabastagan, San Fernando City have yet to file charges of robbery with homicide because they were awaiting a special power of attorney from Geertman’s two siblings authorizing his common-law partner Aurora Santiago to prosecute the case.

Miranda of NUPL, lawyer for Santiago, had indicated that they would file a motion to amend the information to murder once the case is filed by the police.

“It’s a case of political killing. If ever there was money taken from the victim that was just a bonus. It was premeditated; there was casing before, during and after. It was well-planned,’’ Miranda said by phone.