Friday, March 16, 2012

The Army in Negros denounces the NPA's killing spree

CAMP PERALTA, JAMINDAN, CAPIZ---The Philippine Army in Negros has denounced the spate of killings which were publicly admitted by the communist rebels in Negros Island.

Capt Reyland Java, the Spokesperson of the 3rd Infantry Division, said that the NPA bandits have murdered their former comrades,including innocent civilians who refused to support the communist armed group. 

He made the statement after a certain Cecil Estrella, the spokesperson of NPA in Negros, justified the murder of innocent civilians and their former comrades in the guise of so-called punitive actions.

“The cold blooded killings perpetrated by the NPA rebels against the innocent civilians are very alarming. The so-called punitive actions is actually their way of threatening the civilians who are no longer giving them support and for their armed members not to leave their already dwindling organizations or else they would suffer the same fate,” he said.

Java said that the NPA has no right to claim someone's life as a punishment, especially that the death penalty has long been scrapped in the country's judicial system.

“How can they justify the murder of innocent civilians without giving them due process and without giving their victims the chance to defend themselves before the court of law? It’s ridiculous and beyond the normal state of decent mind to justify this crime,”added Java.

Meanwhile, Major General Jose Mabanta, the Commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division based in Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz said that this brutal killings of innocent civilians by the NPA is a clear violation of human rights and disrespect of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law or CARHRIHL which the communist group is a signatory.

“We call to our lost brothers to respect the human rights which we all understood as inalienable fundamental right of a person and to adhere to the CARHRIHL,” he said.

Crimes Against Humanity

Last January 9, 2012, Freddie Sanchez, a rebel returnee who belongs to the first batch of the beneficiaries who availed of the livelihood assistance from the provincial government of Negros Occidental, was gunned down by three NPA rebels at his residence in Sitio Peson, Brgy. Mina-utok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental.

Governor Alfredo Marañon of Negros Occidental has been encouraging the rebels to lay down their firearms and stop fighting a useless cause. Instead, avail of the support from the government to rebuild their lives and enjoy it with their families.

Sanchez’s response to the call of Gov. Marañon was followed by 45 other rebels who returned to the mainstream of society and are now enjoying the livelihood assistance provided by the provincial government, aside from the scholarships of their dependents.

On January 13, 2012, the NPA once again committed human rights violation when they killed Benjamin Sibonet, whom they mistakenly pointed as an informant in Sitio Agogolo, Brgy. Macagahay, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.

The NPA also admitted that they are responsible for the murder of “Joseng” of Pantao, Calatrava and Aming Lutrago of Sitio Lacanon, Brgy. Libertad, Escalante City, all in Negros Occidental.

Last July 13, 2009, the rebels led by Romeo Nanta, was responsible to the ambush of a government-owned vehicle in Brgy. Salamanca in Toboso town, Negros Occidental who claimed the lives of Edmar Sultan, 14, a student of the Toboso National High School, Rodolfo Salipod, 56, driver of the barangay service vehicle, and Ena Pata, 50.

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