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PRESS RELEASE
October 28, 2011
GABRIELA nixes militarization in Arakan, calls for military pull-out
DAVAO CITY – On the occasion of the National Day of Protest of Filipino
Women, GABRIELA leads hundreds of women today to call for the pull-out of
military troops in Arakan, North Cotabato.
Reports show that around 136 families from the communities of Upper Lumbo
and Agila in Barangay Cabalantian, Arakan North Cotabato have evacuated
for fear of military attacks following the death of Ramon Batoy, a peasant
who was killed last October 20 after elements of 57th Infantry Battalion
strafed his and seven others’ houses with bullets.
“It was much like the times of Marcos dictatorship when the residents in
communities are limited of their mobility,” said Mae Ann Sapar, Deputy
Secretary General of GABRIELA after visiting the residents who have
evacuated from Sitio Aguila, Barangay Kabalantian, Arakan, North Cotabato.
“The residents, who are mostly indigenous peoples, are not going to their
farms anymore for fear of being seen by military forces and tagged as
members of New People’s Army. Children have stopped schooling and women
fear for the lives of their families,” Sapar said.
“Is this the kind of peace and development the government speaks of? Peace
that silences communities?” she said.
“We demand for the pull-out of military troops in the Arakan. The
residents have already spoken, they were more peaceful without military
operations,” she said.
On October 28, 1983, more than 10,000 women took the streets in protest of
repression, oppression and corruption of the Marcos dictatorship.
“It has been 28 year since then that the women’s collective action has
become a significant role in toppling down a dictator. But now, the
dictator is gone but the repression and oppression of the people remains,”
Sapar said.
“The PNoy government is clearly exposing itself as a new face of an
oppressor. Lest, he makes a u-turn on his concept of a rhetorical
“daang-matuwid” and genuinely address the people’s clamor for social
justice, then it won’t be long to have the same fate of his father’s
enemy,” she said. ### |
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Tineg
October incident: marked with inhumanity
Diego Wadagan
Spokesperson
Agustin Begnalen Command
October 17, 2011
The Agustin Begnalen Command vehemently condemns the fascist troops of the
503rd Brigade and the 41st IB, led by Col. Eliseo Posadas and Col. Noel
Baluyan, for the brutal killing and the barbaric desecration of the
remains of our 8 comrades who perished in the Tineg October Incident that
took place on October 10, 2011. Instead of being awarded by Governor
Bersamin a certificate of commendation, Lt. Jeson Capoquian should be held
liable for violations of the International Humanitarian Laws and of the
CAHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law).
The Agustin Begnalen Command waited for confirmation of initial reports
pertaining to numerous and gruesome atrocities that were committed by the
troops of the 503rd Brigade and the 41st IB on the remains of the 8
comrades, such as over-killing of hors de combat and the mutilation of the
remains of the 8 comrades. Except for the remains of Dorothy “Ka Rencel/Winnie”
Ating, the bodies of the 7 victims bore evidences of torture, overkill and
mutilation. These include the following:
1.Edgardo “Ka Recti” Balbin – 8 major observable wounds that crushed his
skull severing the upper portion, lesions, wounds, abrasions and
fractures. A survivor said that Ka Recti was still alive and tried to
fight back after suffering a head wound during the first volley of
gunfire, but immediately fell due to the serious injury. He was still
alive but hors de combat when soldiers pepered him with bullets. Other
injuries were caused by physical blows and not from gunshots.
2.Reynaldo “Ka Kris” Masadao – 4 observable
major wounds which include a gunshot wound in front of the left ear fired
at close range as evidenced by gunpowder wounds around the major wound, a
large wound at the right part of the neck nearly severing the head, and
the crushing of the bones of the lower right leg into fragments, almost
severing the lower leg. According to a survivor, Ka Kris was wounded
during the 1st volley of gunfire and was already down but managed to fire
back at Cpl. Tega, the sole fatality from the AFP. The other soldiers
angrily ganged up on Ka Kris, kicked and hacked him, and killed him at
close range.
3.Miguel “Ka Oxy/Alon” Anggaboy – 4 observable
wounds which include 2 head wounds and abdominal wounds. The upper cap of
his skull was blown out and his brains were scooped out of the skull. Ka
Alon was the first to be wounded as he led his team during the first
volley of gunfire, and was still alive as he fell in the river. His
remains were clad in short pants, but were in pants during the firefight.
4.Reyna “Ka Ogie/Arbis” Villacarlos – 4
observable major wounds among which is a gunshot wound in front of the
right ear and a large wound on the body. Her short pants and her panties
were torn in the croth area; some people from the localities claim to have
found her body naked.
5.Rodel “Ka Bunso” Corpus – 6 observable major wounds which include 2
gunshot wounds in the head, blowing off the upper cap of the skull, long
incisional wounds on the left flank of the body most probably caused by
bolo hacking, and arm and leg wounds.
6.Ka Omeng – 4 observable major wounds that
include 2 body wounds and blackened area in the neck, most prabably caused
by a rope or a cloth.
7.Ka Berlin – 2 major observable wounds in the
face, flattening the nose.
Survivors of the massacre attest to the gruesome acts committed by fascist
AFP troops. While the Governor and AFP propagandists and their apologists
and minions in some media outfits boasted of their trophies, they also
prematurely reported that the bodies have already been identified and
taken to the town center of Bangued, Abra, the truth is that the corpses
were were left to rot and decompose to the local townsfolk who were
helpless in transporting the said corpses. It was only because of
pressures from certain humanitarian and people’s organizations that the
Governor committed some help.
These are clear and gross violations of Article 3 of the International
Humanitarian Law, which states that: “Persons no longer taking active part
in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down
their arms and thus place HORS DE COMBAT by sickness, wounds, detention,
or any other cause shall in all circumstances be treated humanely. Acts
such as violence to life and person, in particular murder of all kinds,
mutilation, cruel treatment and torture, among others are and shall remain
prohibited at any time and any place whatsoever with respect to the above
mentioned persons.” This law applies to both parties in an internal armed
conflict, which in the case of the ongoing Philippine National Democratic
Revolution, the parties involved are the reactionary AFP and the
revolutionary New Peoples’ Army (NPA). The 8 comrades who were casualties
in the Tineg October Incident were already deemed hors de combat with
their serious injuries, yet some were tortured and overkilled. Already
dead, fascist troops still proceeded with their mutilation spree. The
Armed Forces of the Philippines hailed this incident as an achievement,
granting interviews left and right, gloating about their so-called
victory. But we ask, what kind of an achievement is this? An achievement
marked with inhumanity? We can only describe what they have done to the
bodies of the 8 dead comrades as pure slaughter.
This incident further shows the fascist character of the AFP and the kind
of training and indoctrination that they give to their troops, which
strips them of their dignity and humanity and transforms them into inhuman
killing machines. The Philippine Army Officer Candidate School (PAOCS),
like the Philippine Military Academy, develops fascist killing machines;
Lt. Jeson Capoqiuan is a member of PAOCC 29-06 “Matingala” Class. All
their talk of ‘human rights’ under the Oplan Bayanihan is mere rubbish,
for they cannot hide their barbaric orientation. And it is a folly for
Governor Bersamin to be blindly supporting “Bayanihan” in Abra and awarded
a Lt. Jeson “The Barbarian” Capoquian a certificate of commendation.
It is ironic and hypocritical for the AFP to be crying foul when 19 of
their officers and enlisted personnel were killed in a legitimate battle
in Basilan because of failures, weaknesses and opportunism of their senior
officers. While 2nd Lt. Efren Khe rightfully cites provisions in
International Humanitarian Law in expressing his grief over the death of
his brother 2nd Lt. Jose Delfin Khe, the fact is more officers of the AFP
and PNP systematically violate human rights and other rules of war.
In contrast, the New Peoples’ Army treats enemies wounded or taken
prisoner in combat humanely, even to the point of treating their wounds
when necessary. Almost all of the forces of the enemy taken as
prisoner-of-war by the NPA can attest to the fair and humane treatment
given by the NPA to them.
Consistent with the grand psy-war design of “Bayanihan”, Pnoy declared
that all-out war in Mindanao is not an option, and instead declared
“all-out justice”. But as always, internal contradictions are rife among
those in power because “Bayanihan’s” pretensions and lip-service of human
rights, justice and peace are not compatible with the fascist orientation
and training of the AFP and the PNP. Demoralization is widespread and
deepening in the AFP, even as 20,000 refugees have already been displaced
in Basilan and Zamboanga-Sibugay, because Pnoy is advocating “all-out
justice” and most in the AFP and some influencial politicians are pushing
for all-out war.
What they did to the bodies of the 8 comrades who died in Tineg is part of
the AFP’s dirty psywar tactics. They want to shock the people, break our
morale and cow the whole revolutionary movement to surrender. But on the
contrary, this incident further served to strengthen our ranks and our
link with the people. Despite our sorrow, we clench our fists and our
teeth in our burning anger against the rotten system. We will continue to
fight for the people. We will continue to wage this war until the whole
reactionary and fascist ruling system tumbles down. We will continue to
fight for the revolution and for the memory of our fallen comrades. We
will continue the revolution until a just and lasting peace is achieved
and all forms of brutality and barbarism by the reactionary state have
been wiped out.
We will never forget this incident. We will never stop until revolutionary
justice has been served.
Long live the memory of the Tineg 8!
Advance the people’s war!
Defeat Oplan Bayanihan!
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NPA-Ilocos Sur criticizes AFP ‘overkill,’ lies and
violation of CARHRIHL
PUBLISHED ON OCTOBER 3, 2011
By ACE ALEGRE
Bulatlat.com
http://bulatlat.com/main/2011/10/03/npa-ilocos-sur-criticizes-afp-overkill-lies-and-violation-of-carhrihl/
BAGUIO CITY – Communist guerillas operating in Ilocos Sur has admitted
that two of their comrades were slain by government soldiers in an almost
week-long gun battle in Cervantes town, Ilocos Sur a week ago.
Benny Boy “Ka Likot” Aguilar and Delfin “Ka Dindo” Gullayan died on the
second day of the skirmishes, said Armando Silva, spokesman of the Ilocos
Sur–based Alfredo Cesar Command of the NPA.
Earlier, the Northern Luzon Command said that government troops had killed
Aguilar and wounded others more during the fighting in the remote
Cervantes town in Ilocos Sur on September 23.
Aguilar, 23, hailed from the urban poor sector in Sampaloc, Metro Manila,
said Silva of the NPA-Ilocos Sur.
The military reportedly displayed Aguilar’s torn body to torment the
people of Cervantes a day after the encounter. Simon Naogsan, spokesman of
the Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front (CPDF), an allied organization of
the NDF, denounced this.
Silva said that “Aguilar’s body bore signs of “overkill” – his skull was
shattered, one of his eyes was detached from its socket, and his chest
caved in due to multiple gunshots and heavy bashing, all of which are
clear violations of the CARHRIHL.”
The second slain rebel– Gullayan, 28, was from Baclingayan, Tubo, Abra. He
was reportedly found dead only on September 29, five days after the
firefight.
But according to Silva, the military troopers suffered “more casualties,”
although Capt. Jovelyn Cabading, spokesman of the Northern Luzon Command
of the AFP, said only one soldier was wounded during the almost week-long
firefights in the hinterlands of Ilocos Sur.
A soldier was wounded in the September 23 firefight while another soldier
died in the September 24 encounter, said Silva.
“A total of 15 died and no less than six other soldiers were wounded from
the operating troops of the 50th IB of the Philippine Army.”
Silva recounted that the first clash happened in Remedios village
(Cervantes) where four soldiers died and six others were wounded in
September 23. Ten soldiers died at Bulaga, in the village of Aluling on
September 24. An undetermined number were wounded at Maupong, Brgy.
Concepcion on September 26.
Because of their losses, the military “went on a rampage and arrested five
civilians whom they suspected as NPA members,” Silva said.
Captain Cabading of the Nolcom admitted that four suspected NPA members
were arrested, but she added they were turned over to the police.
But Silva disputed it, saying the persons arrested are still being held by
the military. They are Edward Galao of Cabaroan, Concepcion village,
Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, Kidsol Keeg of Remedios village, Cervantes and
Hilario Bantio, 44, from Labaan, Tabio, Mankayan, Benguet.
Meanwhile, the following had been released: Mathew Sawey of Langsoyan,
Brgy. Aluling, Cervantes and Francis Tengngedan of Cawag, Brgy. Aluling .
Silva said the persons being detained by the military are civilians.
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Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
Press Release
October 30, 2011
Aquino and AFP officials guilty of war crimes
over Tineg abuses--CPP
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has accused Benigno Aquino
III and his top military officials of committing war crimes during an
encounter between government troops and NPA guerrillas in Tineg, Abra on
October 10.
The CPP said soldiers of the 41st Infantry Battalion led by Cols. Eliseo
Posadas and Noel Baluyan violated international humanitarian law and the
Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International
Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) when they went ahead and slaughtered the NPA
fighters who were overpowered and rendered incapable of fighting. They
also peppered with bullets and hacked with machetes the bodies of the
fallen NPA fighters.
"The images of the falled NPA fighters--the martyrs of Tineg <link here:
tineg-october-incident-marked-with-inhumanity> throughly shatter the
'peace' and 'human rights' rhetoric of the Aquino regime and the AFP,”
said the CPP.
The CPP added that contrary to the AFP's claims that the soldiers brought
the bodies of the dead NPA fighters to Bangued, they left them in the
mountains exposed to the elements. It was only after mounting pressure
from humanitarian and people's organizations that local provincial
officials helped retrieve the NPA casualties.
The CPP called on human rights advocates, lawyers' organizations,
religious groups, international humanitarian agencies and the Joint
Monitoring Committee which oversees both the GPH and NDFP's compliance
with the CARHRIHL to conduct their own investigations into the October 10
Tineg incident. It urged pathologists and other experts to expose the
facts behind the October 10 slaughter.
The CPP said revolutionary forces in the area are willing to cooperate
with various groups to provide information and shed light about the
incident.
The CPP further slammed the AFP's Oplan Bayanihan for “clearly being no
different from the Arroyo regime's Oplan Bantay Laya in terms of brutality
and cruelty.”
"In stark contrast, the NPA strictly abides by the provisions of the
CARHRIHL and international protocols in carrying out people's war against
the ruling system," pointed out the CPP. "NPA units closely follow
humanitarian guidelines in the conduct of the war by treating the wounded
and respecting the rights of prisoners of war. It has time and again shown
itself to be a disciplined fighting force of the Filipino people."
"On the other hand, the brutality and cruelty of the AFP expose the
barbarism of the reactionary fascist troops who have been systematically
robbed of their humanity in order to transform them into brutal killing
machines whose only function is to unleash a criminal war and terrorize
the people," said the CPP.
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