The Philippine National Police yesterday filed an amended complaint for violation of the International Humanitarian Law, against New People's Army rebels responsible for what has been described as a “massacre” of civilians in La Castellana, before the Negros Occidental Provincial Prosecutor's Office.
Senior Supt. Celestino Guara, caretaker of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, yesterday said this is the first time that charges for violation of the law on what constitutes a “war crime” as defined in Republic Act 9851, will be lodged against the NPA.
RA 9851, that took effect in 2010 after being signed by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, penalizes war crimes, genocide and other crimes against humanity.
The ambush on Jan. 27 in Brgy. Puso, La Castellana, claimed the lives of eight civilians and a rookie policemen, and caused injuries to 10 more civilians, including barangay tanods and members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team, and two other policemen.
The NPA Leonardo Panaligan Command, that had claimed responsibility for the ambush, apologized and asked for the forgiveness only of the families of the victims they acknowledged. Stressing that they had no intention to stage an ambush, but only to disarm policemen and BPAT members, rebel spokesman JB Regalado promised to extend assistance to the victims and to impose sanctions on those responsible for the incident.
Family members of the victims, however, rejected the offer of the rebel group, stressing that what they want is justice.
Originally, the police filed nine counts of murder against an estimated 20 rebels led by a certain Magno Flores, who staged the ambush on civilians and policemen on board a government service vehicle, on their way home, from attending a fiesta in Brgy. Puso, La Castellana.
However, the complaint was amended, in consultation with the lawyers of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, who had gone to La Castellana and personally interviewed survivors of the ambush, including the family members of the nine fatalities.
With the filing of “war crimes” charges, Guara said the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front face more difficulty for attaining a belligerency status in the eyes of the international community, with the massacre of civilians.
Section 8 of RA 9851 also states that a person shall be criminally liable as principal for a crime if he or she orders, solicits or induces its commission, including “accomplices”. It also imposes a penalty of reclusion temporal and a fine ranging from P100,000 to P500,000 on any person found guilty of any of these crimes.
OPPAP lawyer Jaime Arroyo, citing testimonies of the victims, said “What we have seen is a case against rebels, having ambushed a truck of civilians and a few police officers”.
If the other side (NPA) acknowledged their mistakes as reported in the media, then they should be aware that their recruits are very “bloodthirsty”, Arroyo said, citing reports of victims being shot in the head.
The rebel group, however, vehemently denied this.
Arroyo, who met with Gov. Alfredo Maranon Tuesday, said they will present their findings to the negotiating panels of the government and the National Democratic Front of the
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2013/February/08/topstory3.htm
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