Hold the PNP and the AFP Accountable for the Murder of Romel Deniega Sium and Other Civilian Victims of EJKs in Sorsogon

Ka Samuel Guerrero, Spokesperson
Celso Minguez Command (NPA-Sorsogon)
October 23, 2017

The Celso Minguez Command (CMC) strongly condemns this latest case of EJK (extrajudicial killing) perpetrated by the fascist state on civilian Sorsoganons. Since this October 17 only, three more civilians have become victims of extrajudicial killings perpetrated by the reactionary police and military.

On the night of October 17, Alan Nolasco, a tricycle driver and resident of Barangay Tabi, Gubat, was shot and killed in the town center of Gubat. His sibling, who was with him during the incident, managed to escape but suffered gunshot wounds. The following night of October 18, Alden Enano, a tricycle driver and resident of Barangay Monbon, Irosin, was also shot down. On October 20, at around 8:00pm, the latest victim, Romel Deniega Sium, was shot and killed in Sitio Baribag, Barangay Bibincahan, Sorsogon City.

These killings perpetrated on civilians by these deranged police and military are merely their “acts of revenge”, committed right after losing in tactical offensives by the New People’s Army. All the victims have no connection with the revolutionary movement; Sium, who was once an NPA member, has been living quietly as a civilian for years.

Based on the CMC’s investigation, three out of the four murderers of Enano were identified as police personnel Jonathan Hapa, Dennis Gabionsa and Michael Villalobos. They were identified by civilian witnesses who saw them when they took off their bonnets.

In the killing of Sium, all evidence clearly point to the PNP and AFP as the perpetrators. Sium was killed because he was suspected of having connections with the revolutionary movement. Because of numerous witnesses, the PNP-AFP framed the killing as a “legitimate military operation” and branded Sium as a hold-upper. However, there are no records of a “Sium robbery-hold-up gang” in Sorsogon. Residents also attest to Sium’s character and simple lifestyle.

The CMC commends the courage and stand for justice of the residents who bravely declared the truth behind these abuses and identified the criminal police and military. The CMC encourages more residents to reveal more information so these criminal perpetrators of EJKs and other abuses can be punished. For security, information may be privately conveyed to any unit of the New People’s Army or NDF organization in your area, so that offenders may be tried and punished through the People’s Court.

The CMC calls out to all Sorsoganons and human rights advocates to condemn these EJK cases, and to stand up and make the abusers of human rights accountable for their crimes. There is a need to be more vigilant, because as long as Duterte accepts EJKs as legitimate actions of his PNP and AFP, these abuses will continue and escalate. The anti-people actions of the AFP-PNP and Duterte’s regime can be stopped and defeated only through the people’s united struggle for their rights.

Source: https://bhbsorsogon.blogspot.com/2017/10/papanagutin-ang-pnp-at-afp-sa-pagpatay.html