The massacre of nine sugar farmers in Sagay, Negros Occidental aimed to discredit the government, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Carlito Galvez Jr. said on Thursday.

In a press briefing in Malacanang, Galvez accused the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army, specifically its founder Jose Maria Sison, of being behind the Sagay incident.

Asked of the possible motive of the CPP-NPA, he said, "to discredit the government...there's a sinister plot."

He noted that after the killings in Sagay, the leftist groups immediately conducted rallies.

"And the killing of Sagay has been attributed to us; attributed to the military, the PNP (Philippine National Police) and the Duterte government," he said as he denied the government's involvement in the massacre.

"We have nothing to do with this...what would the government gain for killing these people? They're the only ones gaining from this," he said.

He said the government has been looking into three leads as to who were involved in the killings - the land claimants, landowner who has private armed group, or the CPP-NPA.

"But the CPP-NPA has the grand design of really having that situation gets worst. Because if something bad happens, they can magnify," he stressed.

Galvez said they were looking for five suspects who could shed light in the killings.

Contrary to the claim of the leftist groups that a minor survivor was arrested by the police, he said the witness is under protected custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Celerina Monte/DMS