MALAYBALAY CITY, Bukidnon — Philippine Army’s 403rd Brigade Commander Brig. Gen. Edgardo De Leon has called on the rights group ‘Karapatan’ to investigate the reported extra-judicial killings (EJK) and violence of the New People’s Army (NPA) that inflicted agony to members of indigenous peoples and civil society.
On 22 August 2019, soldiers of 89th Infantry Battalion of 10th Infantry Division escorted the families of missing persons to validate an eyewitness’ admission that the NPAs killed their relatives and were buried in the wild fields of Digongan village, Kitaotao, Bukidnon.
The witness’ statements proved accurate as the PNP-SOCO (Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives) exhumed three cadavers—all of whom were later identified as the families’ missing folks.
The eyewitness, an IP, recounted how the NPAs abducted and executed retired policeman Joel Rey Galendez; army sergeant Reynante Havana España; and IP leader Datu Dionisio Camarullo Havana in August 2017.
De Leon said the execution carried out by the NPA is a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) because they killed non-combatants.
“If they would claim that those cadavers were captives, then the more that they are liable for IHL violation, punishable under R.A 9851. Captives are supposed to be taken care of. If they are sick and wounded, they should be sent to health services provider. Moreover, the Datu, who was a civilian, should not have been held captive because he has no direct participation in the armed conflict,” he said.
The witness’ story revealed that it is the CPP-NPA terrorists who are carrying out extra-judicial killings, contrary to allegations by militant groups, he added.
De Leon made clear that they do not know how the NPAs carried out the execution but sure that autopsy would tell later.
He, however, explained that people have seen how ISIS terrorists execute people and he is certain that the victims were executed the ISIS way.
“Finally, I call on KARAPATAN, the self-declared watchdog of IHL, to investigate this case and release its findings to the public,” De Leon said. (Cpt. Ryan D. Layug, CMO Officer, 403rd Inf Bde, 4ID, PA/RLRB, PIA Bukidnon)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1026386
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