The New People's Army claimed responsibility for the deaths but insisted that anti-communist vigilantes among the victims fired at them first.

[3] The NPA later admitted to be involved in the massacre, but reasoned that they were forced resort to armed violence after anti-communist vigilantes among the eventual victims fired at them first.

[note 2] Most of the victims were unarmed, but some were armed, albeit lightly relative to the NPA, with at least a pistol, two shotguns, a single-shot rifle and bolo knives.

[3] The massacre damaged the reputation of the New People's Army challenging the NPA's image as "defenders of people´s sacred hopes and deepest aspirations".

The massacre occurred weeks after the media reported that the NPA had tortured and killed hundreds of its own members over suspicion that they might be "deep penetration agents" or spies for the Philippine government as well as the assassination of US Colonel James N. Rowe in April which was condemned by several national newspapers.

The monument which has a leaf motif, was designed by Davao artist Kublai Millan, "life, renewal, and transformation" of the Bagobo-Tagabawa, after the event.