Palace: NPA clearly violated law in Cagayan ambush on cops

From GMA News (May 29): Palace: NPA clearly violated law in Cagayan ambush on cops

The New People's Army (NPA) clearly violated the law when it ambushed and killed eight policemen using a command-detonated landmine in Cagayan on Monday, a Palace spokesperson said Tuesday.

"It’s very clear it was a violation of the law on the use of landmines. And, sorry, allow me to point out that they [policemen] were in athletic uniform [when they were ambushed]," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said at a press briefing.

She added that the slain policemen were on their way to a medical checkup when the communist rebels launched their attack.

"Hindi po natin maisip din kung ano ‘yung dahilan na para i-justify nila na war, or battle, or revolution ‘yung—in pursuit of that particular purpose kasi naka-athletic uniform nga po ‘yung kapulisan natin ‘non," she said.

On Monday, eight members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police were killed and six others were hurt when they were ambushed by NPA members in Allacapan town.

The communist-led National Democratic Front (NDF), however, reportedly said that the attack on the policemen “was a legitimate military operation in accordance with international humanitarian law."

Alex Padilla, who chairs the government peace panel negotiating with the NDF, for his part maintained in an earlier statement that the attack was a violation of international humanitarian law.

Peace negotiations between the Philippine government and NDF have remained stalled since 2004.

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