NDF/NPA-Negros Island: Confront and frustrate the US-Duterte regime’s martial law in Negros Island this 2019

NPA-Negros Island press statement posted to the National Democratic Front Philippines Website (Jan 2, 2019): Confront and frustrate the US-Duterte regime’s martial law in Negros Island this 2019

Juanito Magbanua
Apolinario Gatmaitan Command Spokesperson
New People’s Army Regional Command – Negros Island

PRESS STATEMENT
January 1, 2019
The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (AGC-NPA) in Negros Island strongly condemns the terror sown from the implementation of the Synchronized Enhanced Managing of Police Operations (SEMPO) under the diabolical “Oplan Sauron” by the composite troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) with the aim to destroy the revolutionary movement particularly in Negros.

The six peasants who were victims of illegal arrests by the AFP and PNP last December 27 in Mabinay, Negros Oriental experienced the same horror that happened to peasants and civilians in Guihulngan City that resulted to 6 brutal murders and 50 illegal arrests. Jose Ferolino, who was captured by the PNP and AFP for allegedly being an NPA member together with 14 others, has not been found since his arrest at his home in Barangay Binobohan, Guihulngan City.

Meanwhile, in Mabinay, according to reports from the field, 12 trucks filled with forces from the PNP Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit and Special Action Force (SAF) were monitored to have entered the hinterlands of Mabinay on the early morning of December 27. Two helicopters were observed flying around the area from December 27-29. Simultaneous illegal operations were then conducted in Barangays Luyang and Talingting of Mabinay.

Margie Baylosis was surprised of the presence of elements of the Mabinay PNP and Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) at her home when she arrived after attending to her farm animals. She was immediately arrested for illegally possessing two units of improvised air gun, a cal .38 pistol loaded with live ammunitions and a rifle grenade launcher. These were planted evidence since Baylosis does not own any firearms at all. The alleged firearms were planted at her makeshift kitchen that was not even inside her house. Baylosis is the cousin of political detainee Joey Baylosis of the Mabinay 6, youth organizers of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas who were also illegally arrested last March 2018.

The same circumstances happened to father and son Isaias Rabilista, Sr. and Isaias Rabilista, Jr. wherein a cal .38 with ammunitions was planted in their home. Upon arriving at their house after tending to their farm animals in the morning of December 27, elements of the PNP Mabinay and RMFB were already at their house. They asked to come inside and immediately proceeded to where the alleged firearm was located. The two victims were then arrested.

Jessie Palagtiw and Ponciano Pinili and Rolando Pinili, also father and son, were no different. They were illegally arrested as well and all evidences against them were planted. These victims were told by the PNP that there are seven more to be arrested in Barangay Luyang, Mabinay.

The alarming incidents signal the terrorism of the fascist regime of Rodrigo Duterte. There is no longer a distinction between combatants and civilians. The legal democratic movement, critics of the regime and mere citizens are targeted because of the AFP and PNP’s failure to capture the NPA. In fact, their earlier deadline of decimating the NPA by December 2018 has already expired to their humiliation and they are forced to again move their time frame to June 2019. The AFP and PNP have run amuck in Negros Oriental deploying 3,000 butchers who will surely leave behind record breaking violations of human rights and a bloody death toll of innocent civilians.

The recent illegal arrests are sources of the PNP’s corruption wherein the victims are forced to pay bail or suffer imprisonment. The Police Regional Office 7 and local PNP led by PRO 7 director CSup. Debold M. Sinas will surely profit from the thousands of pesos they require for the freedom of their victims. Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal of the 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army has also a lot to gain from branding and fabricating lies that the six killed in Guihulngan City are members of the “SPARU” or “sparrow” of the NPA because of the bounty Duterte has set for every NPA member captured or killed.

The AFP and PNP are shameless to say that the NPA is supported by and are protectors of drug lords when the lord of all drug lords is their own commander-in-chief Duterte. It is also public knowledge that the big crime syndicates in the country have strong influence within the ranks of the AFP and PNP.

The Filipino people knows that the NPA is the genuine people’s army. The terroristic crimes of the AFP and PNP only proves this even more. Contrary to their aim of destroying the revolutionary movement, the sorrow and grief in the hearts of the people as a result of the intensified military operations will only flare their anger against the oppressive and exploitative system, press them to embrace the principles of armed revolution as the solution to the problems of the oppressed and exploited masses suffering from poverty generated by the semi-colonial and semifeudal system, and, in the end, take an active role in the armed struggle.

Overcome fear! The Filipino people must confront the terror propagated by the US-Duterte regime imposed through nationwide de facto martial law. The Filipino people, together with the Communist Party of the Philippines, NPA and National Democratic Front of the Philippines, will wage a militant and revolutionary struggle to frustrate and overthrow the US-Duterte regime this 2019.###

https://www.ndfp.org/confront-and-frustrate-the-us-duterte-regimes-martial-law-in-negros-island-this-2019/