Rights group calls for ‘greater vigilance’ in 2025, alleges violations

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Human rights group Karapatan called for “greater vigilance” against violations in 2025, saying that the situation under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “the same” as his predecessor’s.

In making this claim, Karapatan alleged three human rights violations in Southern Luzon leading up to and during the holiday rush last December.

“Rights group Karapatan called for greater vigilance in 2025, as the past year ended with a series of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law,” it said on Saturday.

“Despite its pretensions and deception, the Marcos Jr. regime implements the same policies as the [President Rodrigo] Duterte regime in its counter-insurgency campaign, targeting both combatants and civilians without distinction,” it added.

Armed encounter in Quezon

Karapatan claimed coconut farmer Ronilo Villanueva and a certain “Genero” were illegally arrested after the military accused them of being supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

According to Karapatan, the incident happened after the 85th IB of the Philippine Army had an armed encounter with NPA members in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Guinhalinan, San Narciso town in Quezon province on Dec. 12.

The military denied the accusations.

“It’s only propaganda of Tanggol Quezon [Defend Quezon] under the umbrella of Karapatan based in Lucena. Their allegations are wrong,” Lt. Col. Reynir Nirza of the 85th Infantry Battalion told INQUIRER.net in Filipino in a Viber message on Sunday.

The Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of Barangay Guinhalinan also rebutted Karapatan’s report.

“There were no illegal arrests or harassment by soldiers in our barangay,” the SK said.

The Barangay Guinhalinan council declared the CPP-NPA and the National Democratic Front (NDF), as well as groups including Karapatan as persona non grata on Dec. 13, according to a copy of the resolution shared by the 85th IB on Dec. 15.

Karapatan decried the move, saying the military blocked and harassed members of a fact-finding mission by the local rights group Tanggol Quezon.

INQUIRER.net also sought comment from the 2nd Infantry Division but has yet to receive a response.

Alleged rebel slain in Mindoro

Further, the group alleged that authorities in Roxas, Oriental Mindoro prevented Pepe Gayadan from claiming the remains of his daughter, Marife, an alleged NPA member said to have been slain in a clash in the town on Dec. 18.

The 4th IB commanding officer, Lt. Col. Erwin Romero, denied the claim.

He told INQUIRER.net in Filipino: “No. Why would we prevent that? That’s already a family matter.”

“After the encounter, we turned over the cadaver to the competent authority, which was the PNP, for proper disposition. We just secured the cadaver,” Romero explained in a phone interview on Saturday afternoon.

INQUIRER.net also sought comment from the Philippine National Police but has yet to receive a response as of this posting.

Gayadan’s remains were brought to her parents in Palauan, Occidental Mindoro on Dec. 22, the battalion announced in Filipino in a Facebook post: “Gayadan’s mother and siblings arrived… They had to comply with documents first to have the cadaver released.”

The 4th IB previously accused Karapatan of manipulating Gayadan.

“The father told us that they brought the father without informing him why he was brought with them. They only said his child was killed. They took him from Occidental Mindoro and rushed to bring him here in Roxas,” Romero said in an interview.

(What I was wondering about is: Why is it Karapatan who’s eager to retrieve the body? They were very aggressive in what they did, but they didn’t have the father talk with us first,” he added.

2 teens shot dead in Masbate

Karapatan also reported two male teenagers were shot dead in Masbate on their way home from a Christmas party on Dec. 27 early morning.

The Masbate Police Provincial Office announced on Dec. 28 that it formed a special investigation team to look into the incident, saying suspects were yet to be identified.

However, Karapatan claimed it was Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) soldiers that opened fire, adding that the personnel thought the victims were members of the NPA.

INQUIRER.net sought comment from the AFP but has yet to receive a reply.

Karapatan argued: “All of these incidents reveal violations of international humanitarian law and show how the AFP and PNP blatantly disregard and attack the rights of civilians, the kin of victims, and communities that are reeling from military presence and attacks.”

“This year, we raise with renewed vigor our demand for accountability and a stop to these attacks,” it added.