SAN NICOLAS – Was the killing of a farmer-leader here related to local politics or was it part of a seeming bloody crackdown on militant left-leaning leaders?

Police investigators are looking into these angles in connection with the ambush Tuesday of peasant leader Jose Doton as he rode on a motorcycle with his brother Cancio on their way home. Two men on a Honda motorcycle fired at the brothers instantly killing Jose.
Cancio, hit by two bullets in the back, is still in critical condition.

Mayor Leoncio Saldivar III in a radio interview said he believed that Doton was a victim of local politics, noting that the farmer-leader was very close to him.

Saldivar’s family and its rival political family in this town, the Rodrigos, had figured in heated political campaigns in the past elections. Former Mayor Conrado Rodrigo was killed by assassins but it was not clear to investigators whether his death was perpetrated by his political enemies.

Police at presstime are facing a blank wall on the killing of Doton, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansyang Makabayan in Pangasinan and chairman of the Timpuyog ti Mannalon a Mangwayawaya ti Agno (Timmawa) a farmers’ group strongly opposing the operation of the San Roque Multi-Purpose Project which straddles this municipality and neighboring San Manuel town.

Task Force Doton, headed by Supt. Noli Talino, held a case conference last Thursday to determine the cause or motive of his death and the identity of the assailants or masterminds.

Militant groups are blaming the government particularly the military for the continued killing of known leftist personalities. Doton was said to be the 124 th victim under the Arroyo presidency and the fifth in just a week.

The administration strongly belied such claims of a government crackdown on leftist groups. It quickly pointed to a possible ongoing purge by and among militants themselves as had happened before in 1986-88 when many suspected military infiltrators were removed from the ranks, it was pointed out. (DOS)