AFP condemns NPA attack in Negros
MANILA, Philippines – The military on Monday denounced the recent attacks of New People’s Army including the latest in Negros which killed nine people and wounded nine others, saying it was a violation of human rights and International Humanitarian Law.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines strongly condemns the recent attack of the NPAs in Negros…While we support the efforts of the government for peace and development, our focused combat operations will continue to pursue armed violence that has caused suffering to our people and loss of innocent lives,” AFP spokesman Colonel Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr said. in a statement.
“Despite our openness to the rebels returning to the democratic fold, the NPAs continue to wage armed violence, disrupt the peace-building initiatives of the government and disrespect the peace process by violating past ceasefire pronouncements,” he added.
“This attack on non-combatants is clearly another violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law they signed,” he also said.
Speaking to reporters, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said security operations and the implementation of the Internal Peace Security Plan Bayanihan will continue.
The Oplan Bayanihan is the military’s anti-insurgency strategy which focuses on non-combat dimension in “winning the peace.”
“Well we (will) continue our security operations and we (will) continue our program of IPSP Bayanihan. Getting everyone involved in achieving peace, in their so many violations already of the ceasefire at saka ito ngayon wala na tayo sa ceasefire at bina-violate pa nila, pinakikita lang nila yung tunay na layunin ng kanilang organisasyon at walang kinikilala sundalo man o civilian hindi pinapatawad (now that the ceasefire is over they are showing their true intention and they are indiscriminate in conducting their offensive),” Gazmin said.
Burgos, meanwhile, said that the rebels continue to “capitalize on soft targets” and often use “inhumane tactics” including the use of improvised explosive devices, conduct of ambuscades, extortion activities and sabotage of vital economic facilities.
The holiday ceasefire between the government and the communist rebels ended January 15, with both sides accusing each other of violations of the truce.
Eight of the fatalities of the attack by suspected NPAs in La Castellana town on Sunday were civilians. The gunmen hiding in a sugarcane patch ambushed a truckload of policemen and village guards.
“The AFP in coordination with the Philippine National Police activated Task Force La Castellana to conduct pursuit operations against the perpetrators. Our troops in the area will strictly follow the rules of engagement and will respect and promote human rights in all our operations,” Burgos said.
