CHR asked to probe NPA executions

From the Visayan Daily Star (Feb 8, 2023): CHR asked to probe NPA executions (By GILBERT P. BAYORAN)

The Regional Task Force 6 to End Local Communist Armed Conflict has asked the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the spate of killings perpetrated and claimed by the New People’s Army in Negros Island.

In a statement, Flosemer Chris Gonzales, RTF6 ELCAC spokesperson, disclosed that the CPP NPA openly admitted that they have sanctioned and ordered the summary executions of civilians.

The New People’s Army in Negros, in multiple statements issued, justified the killings of six civilians, including a barangay kagawad, they alleged as military informants engaged in counter revolutionary and other illegal activities.

Gonzales, who strongly condemned the NPA for the deaths of innocent civilians, also challenged all those what he called as self-anointed “human rights defenders” to condemn the killings owned by the CPP-NPA in Negros Island.

These open, brazen, and arrogant admissions of the commission of murders of innocent civilians by the CPP-NPA are a manifestation of the desperation and the sense of futility that is being felt among the remaining members of the KR-Negros, he added.

Gonzales further said that the CPP-NPA terrorists have resorted to sowing terror among the local populace, to deter the people of Negros from cooperating with state security forces.

In the end, the CPP-NDF-NPA only alienated the people of Negros Island, Gonzales said, adding that they have proven themselves to be the enemy of the people, as criminals, extortionists, murderers, and terrorists.

Gonzales said he is also confident that the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with rebels responsible for the killings.

We ask the state security forces to pursue and neutralize these terrorists and to bring them before the bar of justice, he added.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the AFP Visayas Command, earlier ordered the Philippine Army, to address the spate of killings claimed by the NPA in Negros Island.

https://visayandailystar.com/chr-asked-to-probe-npa-executions/