Militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on Sunday condemned the killing of a peasant leader in Zamboanga del Sur province, who was shot by a suspected Philippine Army trooper days before the international celebration of Human Rights Day.

Rolando Quijano, a farmer and active member of Alliance of Farmers Union in the province was shot to death at about 12 noon on Friday at Purok 4, Barangay Ocapan, San Miguel Town, Zamboanga del Sur, by suspected elements of the 53rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

The peasant group said that the 53rd Infantry has long been camped in Barangay Ocapan and has built a military detachment inside the village.

“The extra-judicial killing of Quijano by suspected state security forces clearly shows that the culture of impunity prevails under [President Benigno] Aquino [3rd]’s administration,” said KMP spokesman Antonio Flores.

Flores said that, “Quijano’s relatives and colleagues believe his death was due to his active opposition to large-scale mining and illegal logging in Zamboanga del Sur.”

The group also blamed the Aquino administration’s counter-insurgency operation plan “Bayanihan” for the killing of Quijano.

“Oplan Bayanihan enjoy the blessings of the haciendero President because it conceals the escalating terror and human rights abuses perpetrated by the military against farmers with the very same anti-peasant peace and development projects by the government,” Flores said referring to the government’s alleged “sell-out of vast tracts of lands and resources to mining firms.”

“We hold Aquino as commander-in-chief of the armed forces responsible for the death of Quijano and all other farmers killed under his administration,” Flores added.