Army condemns NPA’s continued ruthless killings and violation of CARHRIHL

Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz – The Philippine Army here in Western Visayas condemned the continued ruthless killings of the New People’s Army (NPA) and its violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

Last December 30, 2013, Demetrio Capilastique known as “Hugo” was shot to death in Brgy Linaywan, Badiangan, Iloilo by members of the SPARU unit of the NPA. Alias “Hugo” is a ranking leader of the NPA’s rival group Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) here in Panay Island.

Brigadier General Arnold Quiapo, 301st Brigade Commander said “This is an inhumane act of the NPA, against the law hence, cannot be justified. Any issue against Capilastique should be brought to the proper court and let him answer to our proper judicial system. While the CNN took responsibility for the killing, they should bring those culprits from within their ranks to the courts of law.”

A day following the killing, the CPP-NPA-NDFP (CNN) in an issued statement, took responsibility for the assassination of alias “Hugo”. Hugo was charged by the CPP-NPA of several crimes against the movement and the so called ‘NPA’s court system’, one of which is the crime of mutiny against the CPP-NPA in the Southern Front of Panay in 1994.

Meantime, it can be recalled that last January 25, 2013, a ranking leader of the RPA-ABB Joven Tababa was shot to death by the NPA in Tigbauan, Iloilo. The CNN also took responsibility and tried to justify the killing.

Tababa was with his 7-year old daughter when he was shot and succumbed to gunshots and eventually died on the spot; however his daughter managed to flee.

A day after the incident January 26, 2013 around 8 pm, a certain Gina Genilan Gestalao alias Neneng, 35 years old, wife of a former RPA-ABB member and a resident of Bulho, San Joaquin, Iloilo, was shot to death by the NPA hitting her right upper breast and left portion of her eye.

The NPA’s attack on non-combatants is clearly a violation of the CARHRIHL which the CPP/NPA/NDFP is a signatory.

UN questioned CPP/NPA/NDF’s “people’s courts”

In Page 14 of the Philip Alston report of the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions from 2004-2010, it stated that “the CPP/NPA/NDF’s system of “people’s courts” is either deeply flawed or simply a sham. The question whether the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) can be interpreted to affirm the CPP/NPA/NDF’s contention that it has a right to constitute courts and conduct trials is a matter of controversy.”

While no judicial process is involved in the NPA’s way of imposing punishment for both ordinary and counter revolutionary crimes, Alston stated that “failure to respect due process norms constitutes a violation of IHL for the CPP/NPA/NDF and may constitute a war crime for participating cadres.”

Major General Aurelio Baladad, Commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division said “These unlawful killings and blatant violation of human rights and the International Humanitarian Law of the NPA must be stopped. The democratic government and the Filipino people want a justice system that is not served through killings.” 
To start the year right, Baladad called for peace towards the CNN and urged the NPA to instead lay down their arms, abandon the armed struggle and join the mainstream society in bringing peace and development especially in the countryside.

“Our Bayanihan efforts to bring peace and development in the countryside will continue as we start the year. We call on the public to be vigilant and let us work together in addressing the challenges of peace,” Baladad added.

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NPA executes kidnapped soldier

MANILA, Philippines - An Army soldier who was reported missing and believed captured by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels last month has been executed by his captors, the military said yesterday.

Soldiers recovered the body of S/Sgt. Matronillo Macion, commander of a Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) team in Sitio Vedupe, Barangay San Juan in  Panaon town at the boundary of Jimenez and Aloran towns in Misamis Occidental.

The troops also recovered an improvised explosive device and a grenade.

At least 25 NPA rebels attacked the CAFGU outpost under Macion.

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Jaime Laude | The Philippine Star  | March 5, 2013 | Article Link

Reds killed 1 civilian a week in 2012 - AFP

The recent NPA ambush in Negros Occidental claimed nine lives, mostly civilians. Last year, the AFP claimed communist rebels killed an average of one civilian a week.

MANILA, Philippines -- Communist rebels killed an average of one civilian a week last year, the Armed Forces of the Philippines claimed Wednesday.

AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said the military recorded 53 civilian deaths in 374 violent incidents in 2012. NPA attacks or clashes also killed 81 soldiers, eight policemen and 22 militiamen.

"Such atrocities are a clear manifestation of the NPAs resorting to force and intimidation to coerce civilians including private firms and individuals, even poor folks in far flung villages of the country to give in to their demands since the NPA has lost its mass base support already," Burgos said in a statement.

The AFP, meanwhile, said 555 communist rebels were arrested, killed or surrendered to the government.

January deadliest month for civilians

The beginning of last year proved to be the deadliest for civilians, the AFP said, with 10 killed and nine wounded in 10 alleged NPA attacks.

"These NPA-initiated violent incidents also resulted to three fatalities from the AFP, PNP, and CAA (CAFGU active auxiliary) while 27 were wounded. This clearly shows that the rebel group continues to pursue armed violence despite ongoing peace efforts by the government," Burgos said.

Last month, the NPA also admitted responsibility for the death of nine people, mostly civilians, in La Castellana, Negros Occidental but claimed that they were fired upon first.

The AFP claimed the NPA has been reduced to attacking "soft targets" and continue to use improvised explosive devices, ambushes and extorting from civilians.

Ceasefire violations

During the December 16 to January 15 ceasefire, the longest ever between the government and communist rebels, the AFP said it had recorded at least five incidents of harassment by the NPA, in Agusan del Norte, Malaybalay City, North Cotabato, Tanay, Rizal, South Cotabato and Camarines Sur.

A soldier and a militiaman were killed and two others were wounded.

The NPA also abducted a policeman and a soldier, Burgos said.

Despite these incidents, the AFP said it would continue to support peace efforts by the government but "will continue to intensify our focused security operations against armed rebels who continue to wage armed violence causing loss of innocent lives, destruction of properties, and damage to vital economic facilities and infrastructures,” AFP chief of staff General Emmanuel Bautista said.
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Abigail Kwok | InterAksyon.com | February 6, 2013 | Article Link

Farmer stumbles across mass grave in Philippines

A Philippine farmer unearthed a mass grave with the skeletal remains of up to 30 people believed to be victims of an internal purge by communist rebels in the 1980s, the army said on Sunday.

Rommel Malinao was ploughing his field in a remote village in Quezon province, south of Manila, when he made the discovery on Saturday, army spokesman Major Harold Cabunoc said.

The army deployed a team to cordon off the site and with the help of police forensics experts exhumed the skeletons.

"As of last count, there were about 30 human skeletons," Cabunoc told AFP.

"We believe these were victims of the New People's Army (NPA) 'kangaroo courts', which sentenced to death many members they had suspected as government intelligence agents."

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging a Maoist rebellion since 1969 -- one of the longest-running communist insurgencies in Asia.

At its peak in the 1980s, NPA numbers were believed to have reached 26,000, but that is now down to only 4,000 fighters due to losses on the battle field.

The government alleges that in the mid-1980s, the NPA set up so-called 'kangaroo courts', which condemned to death hundreds believed to have become agents for the state.

Their bodies were believed to have been dumped in secret mass graves.

Various mass graves have been unearthed by the military since 2009, but Saturday's find was believed to contain the biggest number of skeletons so far, Cabunoc said.

Cabunoc added that villagers interviewed by the army near the site said many of their relatives whom they had suspected of joining the NPA went missing in the 1980s and had not been heard of since.

Some of the skeletons showed the hallmarks of torture, although further verification was needed, he said.

President Benigno Aquino re-opened peace talks with the communists in February last year but the negotiations have been delayed by the rebels' demand to release detained comrades.

It was not immediately clear how the discovery of the latest mass grave could affect the talks.

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Agence France-Presse/Yahoo News Online  | July 23, 2012 | Article Link

Top rebel freed on bail rejoins NPA in Negros

MANILA, Philippines - A top New People’s Army (NPA) commander freed on bail has rejoined his comrades in Negros Island, the military reported on Wednesday.

Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto, spokesperson of the Army's Capiz-based 3rd Infantry Division, said that Romeo Nanta, the NPA's regional operations commander in Negros Island, is now back in the hills after he was released on bail last Feb. 21, 2012.

Joint police and military elements arrested Nanta, who also goes by the names of Juanito Magbanua, Jack Nanta, Juaning, Islao and Kulas, on Nov. 7 2011, at Brgy. Zone 2, Cadiz City by virtue of arrest warrants for rebellion, robbery-in-band, attempted and frustrated murder issued by three different courts in Negros Occidental.

Nanta’s release was facilitated by Fred Caña of the human rights group Karapatan based in Negros Island.

“It may be legal for Fred Caña of Karapatan-Negros to support arrested New People’s Army members in their posting of bail but Caña should have thought of the repercussions of such actions,” Maj. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr.,commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, said.

Hernando Llorente (alias Adoy), the Commander of the NPA's Northern Negros Front and his wife Faith Roseen Basergo (alias Bea), an NPA political instructor, were also ordered released on bail last April 27.

“The Secretary General of Karapatan-Negros, Fred Caña, rendered the P80,000 bail bond for the temporary liberty of Adoy and Bea”, said Lieutenant Colonel Efren Morados, Commander of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, whose troops supported were responsible for the arrest of the two NPA rebels on April 20.

“Having jumped bail, we know that this will give them (Nanta, Adoy and Bea) the opportunity to rejoin their comrades. We hope that Caña, facilitating the bail, has considered this”, Mabanta said.

Based on military and police records, Nanta was responsible for the ambush of a government-owned vehicle in Barangay Salamanca in Toboso town, Negros Occidental last July 13, 2009.

Eryl Baynosa, 42, one of the survivor and son of Eriberto Baynosa, former barangay Chaiman of Salamanca in Toboso, Negros Occidental, pointed to Nanta as the leader of armed men who carried out the ambush.

The said incidents 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.

Earlier, families of the survivors claimed to be anxious about Nanta's release. They firmly believe then that Nanta will rejoin his group and get back at them.

Aside from the crimes Nanta was accused of, reports claimed that Nanta was allegedly responsible for the raid and disarming of the 1st Provincial Mobile Group detachment at Barangay Malasibog, Escalante on March 19, 2006; harassment of Villegas Detachment at Barangay Villegas, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental on April 2006; arson incident at the Victorias Milling Company and Central Lopez transloading station at Barangay San Jose, Toboso on March 2008; and the burning of the Globe Telecom cell site in Purok Mabuhay, Barangay Poblacion, Toboso, Negros Occidental.

The list also includes the attack of La Libertad Police Station in Negros Oriental in 2008; raid of ECJ farm at Barangay Suay, Himamaylan on February 2009; raid of Polopangyan detachment located in Barangay Bug-ang, Toboso on 28 August 2010, for disarming and sabotage of VMC pump station in Barangay 20, Victorias City last October 2010 and the harassment of the Polopangyan detachment in Toboso on March 29, 2011, in an attempt to celebrate the NPA founding anniversary, which led to the death of an 11 year old girl named Arni 'baby' Amion.

Meanwhile, the military cited more cases where Caña intervened for the release of suspected NPA rebels.

One of them was Marilyn Badayos alyas Eunice/Jonna, top NPA commander operating in Southern Negros, who was arrested last June 18, 2011 in Bacolod City. She rejoined her group after her release last Nov. 9, 2011.

Sometime in 2005, Hermina Compoc alyas Pilay, an NPA member, was apprehended in Bohol. She is now operating with her group in Southern Negros.

On the other hand, Emma Calderon, another NPA member operating in Central Negros, was apprehended in Canlaon City sometime 2003 and later rejoined her group after being released. She eventually surrendered to the authorities last 2009.

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Jaime Laude | The Philippine Star | July 4, 2012 | Article Link

6 hurt in Agusan rebel attack

DAVAO CITY -- More than 60 communist rebels attacked a military outpost near mountainous tribal communities in Agusan del Sur province early Wednesday, wounding at least six villagers.

The rebels, belonging to the New People’s Army (NPA) Front Committee 88, raided the outpost, which is under the supervision of the Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion in Km. 41, Barangay Binicalan, San Luis town, Agusan del Sur, around 3 a.m.

One of those wounded is a soldier, while the others are civilians.

Jorge Madlos, alias Ka Oris, spokesman of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)-Mindanao, said most of the victims were militiamen and their relatives working for the military.

Madlos identified one of the injured civilians as the “girl friend” of the detachment commander. 

Two of the wounded civilians were reportedly brought to Patinay Hospital in Agusan del Sur for treatment.

Madlos said the NPA rebels have seized 18 firearms from the detachment during the attack. Seized were three M-14 rifles, 12 Garand rifles, one M-16 Armalite rifle, a Carbine rifle and a .9-mm pistol.

He said the guns will be distributed to the new NPA members who need firearms, citing they are organizing new platoons. 

Madlos added that the rebels attacked because government troops and the militiamen, who included armed minors, have harassed some villagers who have been suspected of providing food and money to the NPA.

Military spokesman Major Eugenio Osias said the rebels were angry because villagers have stopped providing support to the insurgents.

He said details of the attack were sketchy but that initial reports showed three civilians were shot and wounded by the rebels. He added that five militiamen who were at the detachment fought back.

The rebels fled upon sensing the arrival of reinforcement from nearby military detachment, Osias said.

He added the NPA members fired at the military detachment and threw a hand grenade at nearby houses before they fled. 

Osias condemned the communists for including civilians in their resentment against government forces. He said such act is a clear violation of the Comprehensive Agreement of the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).

"We understand their sentiments pero sana hindi nila dinamay yung mga taong di naman kasama sa problema nila. Pwede naman sana idaan sa magandang usapan, bakit kailangan pa umabot sa dahas. Sana ma-realize nila na mali ang ginagawa nila (But they should have not included the civilians. I hope they will realize that what they did was wrong)," he said.

According to the NDFP website, the CARHRIHL “is meant to meet the needs arising from the concrete conditions of the Filipino people concerning violations of human rights and the principles of international humanitarian law, and to find principled ways and means of rendering justice to all the victims of such violations.”

The rural-based Marxist rebellion has raged for 43 years, one of Asia's longest.

Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Emmanuel Bautista, meanwhile, said the military plans to gradually eradicate its 60,000-strong militia force once communist and Moro insurgencies in the country ease considerably.

The militias, often poorly paid and ill-trained, have been linked to human rights violations in the past but are crucial to helping the underfunded military secure far-flung villages from insurgents and outlaws.

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Ivy Tejano | SunStar.Com.Ph | May 30, 2012 | Article Link

CPP-NPA Decades Old Murders, Arsons, Terrorism & HR Violations

CAMP AGUINALDO – The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army continues to sow terror, violence, and bloodshed as they have demonstrated in recent spate of atrocities, landmine incidents, and summary executions conducted all over the nation.

Last February 27, 2012, members of the Army’s 25th Infantry Batallion were conducting a security patrol in San Vicente Village, Montevista, Compostela Valley when a landmine was detonated by members of the CPP-NPA where 2 soldiers died and 6 others were wounded. Last Sunday night, February 26, 2012, suspected NPA members torched 5 heavy equipments to be used for the TPLEX project of the government in Tarlac City; while 2 hauling trucks have also been burned by suspected members of the NPA in Purok 3, Brgy. Katipunan, Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur. On March 1, 2012 NPA members torched millions worth of equipment including a generator set, dumptruck, 3 forklifts, and a 6x6 truck in a sawmill in Brgy. Usol, Jones, Isabela.

Brigadier General Rolando B Tenefrancia AFP, Commander, Civil Relations Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (CRSAFP) expressed his disdain with the incessant activities conducted by members of the CPP-NPA, saying that “these acts demonstrate that the NPAs have gone above and beyond the law, and that they have placed the law in their hands through the imposition of summary executions and conducting arson which is disregarding a person his duly constituted right to life, property, and due process.”

In Masbate, Agustin Cabiles, a resident of Brgy Magkaipit, San Fernando was abducted by NPAs last February 4, 2012 and forcibly brought him to the barangay plaza where he was shot several times in plain view of the populace that resulted in his death. Ramon Tosero, a resident of Sitio Danao, Brgy. Taguilid, Claveria of the same province was also shot several times which resulted in his death, and afterwards his lifeless body was paraded on the streets by the NPAs on February 1, 2012. Both were suspected to be military/police informants.

The CRS Commander said that “the NPAs motive in killing suspected military/police informants while being paraded on the street and executed at the barangay plaza shows a great disregard for life which is aimed at instilling fear, sowing terror and dissent among the masses.”

Moreover, BGen Tenefrancia called on human rights groups to condemn the spate of killings and atrocities of members of the CPP-NPA saying “we call on KARAPATAN and other Human Rights groups to condemn these dreadful incidents as these are clear violations of the human rights of these individuals.” 

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Civil Relations Service - Armed Forces of the Philippines | Zambo Times | March 14,2012 | Article Link