MANILA, Philippines — The police and military operations that resulted in the death of 14 individuals in Negros Oriental are legitimate and backed up by appropriate documents, Malacañang said Monday.
Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this after human rights groups earlier tagged as a “massacre” the operations against loose firearms over the weekend that led to the death of eight persons in Canlaon City, four in the municipality of Manjuyod, and two in Santa Catalina.
Negros Oriental police said the 14, who allegedly resisted arrest and fought authorities, were suspected hitmen and supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA) and were allegedly involved in several foiled assassination plots against the police and the military.
READ: 14 killed in PNP, Army operations vs loose firearms in Negros Oriental
“We’ve already (received) a report on that. It’s a legitimate police operation. Search warrants were issued by a competent court and they [cops and soldiers] are implementing that,” Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
Panelo also dismissed claims that the government is targeting farmers with supposed links to the communist rebels.
“The fact remains that the people subject of the search warrant has been identified as suspects in certain ambushes, assassinations, assassination attempts. So it’s a police operation and backed up by documents, and the courts believe in them that’s why they issue these warrants,” he said.
Authorities did not confirm if the fatalities were indeed farmers, but they insisted that they have been involved in attacks against government troops in the province. /ee
PNP: No massacre in Negros Oriental operations