NPA units punish fascist AFP troops in Laak, Mati City for numerous war crimes

Rigoberto F. Sanchez, Spokesperson
NPA-Southern Mindanao
6 April 2017

NPA units launched a series of tactical offensives against the atrocious 60IB, 72IB CAFGU and 28IB for their numerous war crimes of peasant killings, aerial bombardment and other human rights violations in Laak, Compostela Valley and in Mati City, Davao Oriental. Seized was one M16 rifle in the latest ambush against its troops in Km. 26 LS Sarmiento, Brgy. Kidawa, Laak where a soldier was killed and several others were wounded.

On March 30, two AFP soldiers were killed following an attritive action by Red fighters belonging to the ComVal–Davao Gulf Sub-Regional Command in Brgy. Tagbinunga, Mati City. Before this, a corporal and a CAFGU were killed on March 26 when an NPA unit of the Comval-North Davao-South Agusan Sub-Regional Command ambushed an operating platoon of the 72IB as one other was also killed in a separate attritive action by Red fighters in Brgy. Kidawa.

These punitive actions were directed at two AFP battalions and their rabid CAFGU that have perpetrated the most heinous violations which can only be described as war crimes against Lumad and peasants in their areas of operation in barely two months since the declaration of GRP’s all-out war.

After the March 30 attritive action by Red fighters in Mati City, the 28IB indiscriminately bombarded Brgy. Tagbinunga with 5 shells of 105mm artillery cannon as its troops on the ground open fired, killing Jeffrey Santos, a farmer carrying a sack of copra on his way home from his farm. The bombardment resulted in the forced evacuation of 170 families of Brgy. Tagbinunga, Brgy. Don Salvador and Brgy. Calatagan. Not content, they manhandled and consequently brought to their brigade 11 farmers whom they subjected to harassment and interrogation.

In Laak, the 60IB killed Cora Molave Lino and couple Arlyn and Arman Almonicar, all peasants on March 27. As part of their combat operation, the 60IB dropped several bombs and indiscriminately bombarded Brgy. Bollucan, severely affecting the lives of 1,397 families in several adjacent barrios and forcing the evacuation of 113 families on February 11. This same warmongering battalion terrorized Lumad and peasants by forcing the construction of a detachment in the middle of a civilian community in the very remote LS Sarmiento, Brgy. Kidawa in November 2016 in direct violation of their supposed ceasefire and despite vehement and petitioned opposition of residents. The corporal who has killed in the NPA’s March 26 ambush also coerced the residents to enlist as CAFGUs to man the new detachment. On April 4, a banana farmer was also forcibly taken by soldiers of the 60IB in Km. 29 in LS Sarmiento.

These war crimes, which are similarly prevalent in other parts of the country, only showcase exactly what “hitting them hard” and “flattening the hills” actually mean. Unarmed civilians are fair game in the fascist rampage of AFP troops in Southern Mindanao.

Furthermore, in openly supporting the campaign of terror by the 60IB and all other AFP battalions nationwide, Pres. Duterte is in danger of isolating himself even in the countryside where he previously held sway. His pro-people bravado is steadily diminishing for every Lumad, every peasant, every poor victim of drug abuse and every activist who falls prey to the AFP and the PNP’s killing-spree.

As more and more fascist attacks are being committed against defenseless civilians under Oplan Kapayapaan, the murderous troops of the AFP and other reactionary forces are sure to be met head on not only by tactical offensives of the NPA but also by all forms of revolutionary resistance of the people they have so viciously victimized in the wake of their all-out war.

Source : https://www.philippinerevolution.info/statements/20170406-npa-units-punish-fascist-afp-troops-in-laak-mati-city-for-numerous-war-crimes