4th ID troops pursuing NPA band who gutted 2 sprayer trucks in Bukidnon

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 2): 4th ID troops pursuing NPA band who gutted 2 sprayer trucks in Bukidnon

Troopers from the 4th Infantry Division are now pursuing the New People's Army (NPA) bandits who torched two sprayer trucks in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon ON Feb. 1 and 2.

The first incident took place 1 a.m. ON Feb. 1 in Sitio Gabunan, Barangay Casisang, Malaybalay City.

Torched was a boom sprayer truck owned by the DOLE Company Banana Plantation.

The second incident took place 4 a.m. in the Alquino Area, Barangay Barobo, Valencia City.

Destroyed was another sprayer truck, this time owned by the SUMIFRU Company.

The two incidents shows lack of NPA respect for the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect to Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), said 4th Infantry Division Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez.

It can be recalled that the CARHRIHL was agreed upon and was signed by Government of the Philippines and National Democratic Front of the Philippines March 16, 1998 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

Col. Jesse Alvarez, 403rd Infantry Brigade commander, stressed that for the past few week, the NPAs have deliberately carried out attacks against civilian populace.

He said, “NPA bandits violated Part 4, Section 4, Article 4 of the CARHRIHL which clearly states that civilian population and together with their property shall not be the object of attack. They shall likewise be protected against arson, strafing, and other similar forms of destroying lives and property.”

In addition to this, the NPA also violated Article 52, Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention which is the protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population such as foodstuffs, agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops, livestock, drinking water installations and supplies and irrigation works, for the specific purpose of denying them for their sustenance value to the civilian population or to the adverse party, whatever the motive, whether in order to starve out civilians, to cause them to move away, or for any other motive.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=853042