Military urges victims of NPA to lodge formal complaints to end
BAGUIO CITY (June 29, 2021)— The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) yesterday renewed its call for victims of atrocities committed by the terrorist group Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to file formal complaints as they assured them of protection.
This as it claimes that the NPA, whose number is dwindling, are now resorting to extortion activities, particularly in the Mindanao area.
During Monday’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) virtual press conference “Tagged: Debunking Lies By Telling The Truth”, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Major General Edgardo De Leon said they will need the support and cooperation of all Filipinos, especially the NPA victims.
“Panawagan ko sa mga naging biktima, magtulong-tulong po tayo. Kinakailangan namin kayo para isulong ang pagpafile ng kaso para matigil na itong ginagawang pag-atake ng mga NPA sa mga civilian, pati yung pagpatay sa mga taong walang kalaban-laban,” De Leon said, adding that the victims should file their report with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Martin Gascon has earlier stated that the NPA is accountable and must answer for all the attacks and crimes it has committed. “Nagsalita na po ang CHR Chairperson na si Chito Gascon. Sinabi niya na ang ginagawang pagpapasabog ng anti-personnel mine ay… dapat talagang kasuhan ang mga NPA. Yung pagpatay sa mga civilian, dapat kasuhan ang NPA. Sinasabihan ni ginoong Chito Gascon isurender ng NPA ang mga gumawa ng karumaldumal na krimen na ito.”
“Ngayon kapag nabuo natin, nakumpleto natin ang mga complaints laban sa mga NPA dapat po pati yung gobyerno ng Netherlands… Kailangan the government of Netherlands should understand the humanitarian law violations committed by the person that they are now giving asylum to, to be answerable on the humanitarian crimes that they have continuously committed particularly the instructions to continuously produce, stockpile and use anti-personnel mines that are destroying the human body, destroying the dignity of the people, not only combatants, and worse, including noncombatants,” De Leon also stressed.
It can be recalled that the CHR has vowed to investigate the 1,506 atrocities and IHL violations committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF from 2010 to 2020, as reported by the AFP Center for the Law on Armed Conflict (AFPCLOAC).
He also explained that the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is not really hard to understand, as it simply pursues the protection of all non-combatant civilians against all forms of violence and degrading treatment, including murder and torture.
“Hindi mahirap intindihin ang International Humanitarian Law. Ang sinasabi lang po diyan ay ang civilian ay hindi dapat dinadawit, hindi dapat sinasaktan, hindi dapat pinapatay,” he added.
He also stressed that the leaders of the CPP-NPA, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison and Luis Jalandoni, under the Republic Act 9851 or “Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity” are principals to the all the crimes committed by members of its CTGs.
“Sa ilalim po ng Republic Act 9851 at sa ilalim ng additional protocol 2 ng Geneva Convention, nakasulat po doon na yung mga pinuno ng mga non-state armed group ay principal to the crime. Pangunahing dapat ireklamo sa mga ginagawa ng kanilang mga nakababang mga inuutusan,” he said.
He added that under the IHL and RA9851, the responsibility of the actions of its members are under the jurisdiction of their superiors. “Wala po silang kaligtasan dito.”
De Leon said the latest IHL “grave violations” of the CPP-NPA are extortion attempts on two private individuals who are were just earning a living by way of ‘prawn farming’ while the other is a construction firm about to finish a diversion road project for a farm to market road in the Municipality of Lanuza.
According to De Leon, the June 24 attack killed a company guard, while two others were injured, when the terrorist group barged on the premises of MR1 Construction owned by Paolo Lopez, whom the CPP-NPA terrorists targeted for extortion but was not around during the attack. Lopez is an in-law of Cong. Prospero Pichay.
Rebels torched three heavy equipment severely damaging one of them while two other pieces of equipment were saved from being totally burned by fire fighters backed by the Philippine Army’s response team.
The municipal mayor, a former rebel himself, Anilao Dawog, immediately condemned the CPP-NPA for the incident. Sangguniang Bayan member Alfredo Antojado who read the mayor’s statement said the news is not new to them since the NPA is always doing the same atrocities from time to time and even torched their own Municipal Hall on October 7, 1987.
“Wala ng ideology, terrorism na talaga ang gawa nila (CPP-NPA). Kaya nanawagan kami sa gobyerno nila Mayor na tapusin na ito. Malilit na bilang na lang sila, pero nakakapinsala pa rin. To make their presence felt they engaged in extortion activities,” Antojado claimed.
Meanwhile, Maj. Brig. Gen. George Banzon, 901st Infantry Commander, said the CPP-NPA attack at the ‘prawn farm’ is also meant to extort from the civilian owner, with the terrorist group ‘draining the waters from the farm to kill the prawns’ and eventually taking five boxes of harvested prawns.
“These are clear violations of IHL. The two properties are not used for military purposes. Targeting non-military facilities are grave IHL violations,” Banzon explained, adding that the owners, which will be backed by the military and government, can file cases against the terrorist group and their political leaders.
He encouraged them (owners) to come forward and file the charges for their repatriation, pin down not only the members of the CPP-NPA whom they are still in hot pursuit, as well as their leaders abroad and those who are in Congress.
Gaye Florendo, NTF-ELCAC assistant spokesperson for Indigenous People’s Concerns, said the “evil ideology” of the CPP-NPA continues to claim lives and destroy properties that must be stopped with all sectors of society joining hands to end the local communist armed conflict.
During Monday’s National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) virtual press conference “Tagged: Debunking Lies By Telling The Truth”, AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Major General Edgardo De Leon said they will need the support and cooperation of all Filipinos, especially the NPA victims.
“Panawagan ko sa mga naging biktima, magtulong-tulong po tayo. Kinakailangan namin kayo para isulong ang pagpafile ng kaso para matigil na itong ginagawang pag-atake ng mga NPA sa mga civilian, pati yung pagpatay sa mga taong walang kalaban-laban,” De Leon said, adding that the victims should file their report with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).
CHR Chairperson Jose Luis Martin Gascon has earlier stated that the NPA is accountable and must answer for all the attacks and crimes it has committed. “Nagsalita na po ang CHR Chairperson na si Chito Gascon. Sinabi niya na ang ginagawang pagpapasabog ng anti-personnel mine ay… dapat talagang kasuhan ang mga NPA. Yung pagpatay sa mga civilian, dapat kasuhan ang NPA. Sinasabihan ni ginoong Chito Gascon isurender ng NPA ang mga gumawa ng karumaldumal na krimen na ito.”
“Ngayon kapag nabuo natin, nakumpleto natin ang mga complaints laban sa mga NPA dapat po pati yung gobyerno ng Netherlands… Kailangan the government of Netherlands should understand the humanitarian law violations committed by the person that they are now giving asylum to, to be answerable on the humanitarian crimes that they have continuously committed particularly the instructions to continuously produce, stockpile and use anti-personnel mines that are destroying the human body, destroying the dignity of the people, not only combatants, and worse, including noncombatants,” De Leon also stressed.
It can be recalled that the CHR has vowed to investigate the 1,506 atrocities and IHL violations committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF from 2010 to 2020, as reported by the AFP Center for the Law on Armed Conflict (AFPCLOAC).
He also explained that the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is not really hard to understand, as it simply pursues the protection of all non-combatant civilians against all forms of violence and degrading treatment, including murder and torture.
“Hindi mahirap intindihin ang International Humanitarian Law. Ang sinasabi lang po diyan ay ang civilian ay hindi dapat dinadawit, hindi dapat sinasaktan, hindi dapat pinapatay,” he added.
He also stressed that the leaders of the CPP-NPA, Jose Maria “Joma” Sison and Luis Jalandoni, under the Republic Act 9851 or “Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity” are principals to the all the crimes committed by members of its CTGs.
“Sa ilalim po ng Republic Act 9851 at sa ilalim ng additional protocol 2 ng Geneva Convention, nakasulat po doon na yung mga pinuno ng mga non-state armed group ay principal to the crime. Pangunahing dapat ireklamo sa mga ginagawa ng kanilang mga nakababang mga inuutusan,” he said.
He added that under the IHL and RA9851, the responsibility of the actions of its members are under the jurisdiction of their superiors. “Wala po silang kaligtasan dito.”
De Leon said the latest IHL “grave violations” of the CPP-NPA are extortion attempts on two private individuals who are were just earning a living by way of ‘prawn farming’ while the other is a construction firm about to finish a diversion road project for a farm to market road in the Municipality of Lanuza.
According to De Leon, the June 24 attack killed a company guard, while two others were injured, when the terrorist group barged on the premises of MR1 Construction owned by Paolo Lopez, whom the CPP-NPA terrorists targeted for extortion but was not around during the attack. Lopez is an in-law of Cong. Prospero Pichay.
Rebels torched three heavy equipment severely damaging one of them while two other pieces of equipment were saved from being totally burned by fire fighters backed by the Philippine Army’s response team.
The municipal mayor, a former rebel himself, Anilao Dawog, immediately condemned the CPP-NPA for the incident. Sangguniang Bayan member Alfredo Antojado who read the mayor’s statement said the news is not new to them since the NPA is always doing the same atrocities from time to time and even torched their own Municipal Hall on October 7, 1987.
“Wala ng ideology, terrorism na talaga ang gawa nila (CPP-NPA). Kaya nanawagan kami sa gobyerno nila Mayor na tapusin na ito. Malilit na bilang na lang sila, pero nakakapinsala pa rin. To make their presence felt they engaged in extortion activities,” Antojado claimed.
Meanwhile, Maj. Brig. Gen. George Banzon, 901st Infantry Commander, said the CPP-NPA attack at the ‘prawn farm’ is also meant to extort from the civilian owner, with the terrorist group ‘draining the waters from the farm to kill the prawns’ and eventually taking five boxes of harvested prawns.
“These are clear violations of IHL. The two properties are not used for military purposes. Targeting non-military facilities are grave IHL violations,” Banzon explained, adding that the owners, which will be backed by the military and government, can file cases against the terrorist group and their political leaders.
He encouraged them (owners) to come forward and file the charges for their repatriation, pin down not only the members of the CPP-NPA whom they are still in hot pursuit, as well as their leaders abroad and those who are in Congress.
Gaye Florendo, NTF-ELCAC assistant spokesperson for Indigenous People’s Concerns, said the “evil ideology” of the CPP-NPA continues to claim lives and destroy properties that must be stopped with all sectors of society joining hands to end the local communist armed conflict.
Artemio A. Dumlao
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