Bukidnon mayors want communist rebels out

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 19, 2019): Bukidnon mayors want communist rebels out

BAUNGON, Bukidnon -- The provincial chapter of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) in Bukidnon has collectively denounced "atrocities" of the communist rebels, pointing to the New People's Army's (NPA) attacks against civilians and properties.

In a resolution released on Wednesday, the LMP-Bukidnon denounced the NPA for alleged violations of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

Along with the NPA, LMP-Bukidnon also declared the Communist Party of the Philippines and its political organ, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF), as “persona non grata”.

Brigadier Gen. Edgardo de Leon, commander of the Army’s 403rd Brigade, said the NPA has already committed nine atrocities against the civilian population in Bukidnon this year.

The latest, De Leon said, occurred on June 24, when NPA units claimed responsibility for the destruction of a civilian-owned winged truck and damaging a farm tractor in Cabanglasan town.

De Leon lamented that despite the IHL violations of the NPAs, "not a single case of violation was filed" in courts--especially in Regional Trial Court Branch 25 in Cagayan de Oro City, the special court designated to try IHL cases.

He noted that NPA's IHL violations were referred to the Commission on Human Rights in Region 10, awaiting results of investigation.

Meanwhile, Malitbog Mayor Ozmundo dela Rosa said it was about time for the local governments of Bukidnon " to make the move in calling out the CPP-NPA-NDFP".

"If I am not the mayor now, I would just be an ordinary farmer who has no power. I don't have the capacity to protect the people. As Mayor, it's time to make an action," he said.

The LMP-Bukidnon president, Cabanglasan Mayor Reynante Inocando said local chief executives "have an obligation to their constituents, more so that now they are being oriented about the IHL".

Inocando said municipal governments must create their respective fact-finding teams to investigate the NPA's IHL violations and file complaints on behalf of their constituents.

He said local officials should also intensify their information campaign to broaden the understanding of the importance of IHL in their localities "so that constituents would be capacitated to resist the NPAs".

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1080937