NPA accuses gov’t forces of killing farmers, tags Bulan clash as ‘massacre’

LEGAZPI CITY — The New People’s Army (NPA) Romulo Jallores Command (RJC) on Monday condemned the killing of five farmers which the military tagged as suspected communist rebels slain in an encounter with government forces in a remote village in Bulan town in Sorsogon on Friday morning, May 8.

Raymundo Buenfuerza, RJC spokesperson, in a press statement Sunday accused the military and police forces of committing acts against human rights for the death of the five farmers.

Buenfuerza said the incident last Friday was a “massacre” where the military even planted high powered assault rifles and ammunition to justify their atrocities.

He denied accusation of the military that the farmers were members of the communist movement.

Buenfuerza has also claimed that despite the coronavirus crisis, the military has mounted the Synchronized Military and Police Operation (SEMPO) where kidnapping, killings, and arson were taking place in remote villages in Bicol.

Major Gen Fernando Trinidad, commanding officer of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Bicolandia (JTFB) commander, on Monday clarified that the incident that happened in Barangay Dolos in Bulan, Sorogon was indeed a legitimate encounter contrary to the NPA-RJC accusation.

Trinidad said the command categorically denies the communist movement’s accusation that the incident in Bulan was a “massacre.” He said that the police and Army troops were about to serve a warrant of arrest to a certain “Golima,” a suspected NPA member facing charges for murder.

“I would like to inform the Bicolanos to be wary of the misinformation being spread by the NPA purposely to discredit the police and the military,” he said.

Trinidad, in his press statement, revealed the identities of the suspected NPA rebels killed in the encounter at Barangay Dolos as: Jaime Tañada, aka Ames, 54; Reymond Tañada, aka Monding, 39; Jerry Palanca, aka Ben, 31; Jerick Buno, 30; and Roberto Villafuerte, aka Furgoso, 21, all members of Larangan 2, Komiteng Probinsya 3 of the Bicol Regional Party Commitee (BRPC).

“The recovered high-powered firearms and subversive supplies are proof of their continuous lawless activities that has affected lives of innocent civilians and surrounding communities,” he said.