MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Peace Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr. on Thursday slammed the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army’s (CPP-NPA) attack on a reclamation area in Negros Occidental that killed two members of the defunct Revolutionary Proletarian Army (RPA).
About 30 members of the CPP-NPA attacked a reclamation area in Sitio Ilan, Barangay Locotan, Kabankalan City in Negros Occidental on Wednesday.
The incident resulted in the death of RPA members Jhoenel Marabebe and Bogie Vergara. Three others also sustained injuries.
READ: 2 dead, 3 hurt in NPA attack on resettlement area of breakaway group in Negros Occidental
Galvez said the attack happened while the RPA was preparing the reclamation site as part of a peace deal the group forged with the government.
The peace adviser added that it was “a brazen assault against concrete peace gains and efforts on the ground.”
“This attack only shows the gruesome and inhumane methods the CPP-NPA would utilize in order to promote their twisted brand of ideology,” Galvez said in a statement.
Galvez said the communist group “once has again shown their true colors” by carrying out the attack and assured the family of the victims that justice will be served.
“Through their actions, they have demonstrated that human lives are worthless as they aggressively pursue their self-serving objectives,” Galvez said.
“I assure you that the government will exhaust all means necessary for the victims and their families to get the justice they rightfully deserve,” he added.
The attack, Galvez said, underscored the need for the implementation of the Executive Order No. 70 “which outlines a Whole-Of-Nation-Approach in dealing the decades-long communist insurgency in the country.”
“Under this approach, localized peace engagements will be carried out in conflict-affected areas throughout the country,” Galvez said.
“Local leaders know the real situation on the ground. Therefore, they are in the best position to respond and make decisions based on the existing realities in their respective communities,” he added. /ee