By Marisol Bo-oc | 09:50 PM February 27, 2024
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) – Visayas Command on Monday denied allegations of “massacre” and “torture” surrounding the death of five suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Bilar town, Bohol.
Authorities said the operations neutralized five alleged communist rebels last Friday, Feb. 23, 2024.
The fatalities in Bilar clash were identified as Domingo Compoc, known as “Kumander Cobra” and “Silong,” and said to be the secretary of the NPA unit operating in Bohol; lawyer Hannah Cesista, Parlito Historia, Marlon Omosura and Alberto Sancho.
One policeman died and another police officer was injured.
PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said that the incident was a “legitimate encounter” by the police force in the area.
“In fact, it was very unfortunate that one of our police personnel died, and one was wounded. Maybe that seems too much if it will sacrifice one life or one personnel and wounding another one just to draw an encounter as what they are claiming,” the PNP chief said.
“Nevertheless, if there are complaints, we are open for investigation. But based on the report from our lower units, it’s a legitimate encounter,” Acorda added.
A statement from AFP Visayas Command (Viscom) chief, Lieutenant General Benedict Arevalo said that the accusations are all but “propaganda.”
“We will not dignify their propaganda anymore, they can say what they want,” Arevalo told reporters.
“Nothing new, they are not saying anything new. They say that to all the things that are happening. We are not hearing anything new from what they are saying. They’ve been saying that in all the operations,” he added.
The Army official also said that the military is open to any investigation regarding the matter.
“That’s their right to call for an investigation they can say anything,” Arevalo said.
Karapatan said they have received reports from the residents of the village that the five fatalities “were all accosted alive” by soldiers and police and did not die from an encounter.
“We call for an independent investigation of this gruesome incident given the propensity of state security units to summarily execute suspects under the guise of its worn-out ‘nanlaban’ (fighting back) narrative,” Karapatan said in its Facebook page.
The Communist Party of the Philippines, in a Feb. 24 statement signed by its information officer, Marco Valbuena, claimed that the five had already been captured, before they were tortured and killed.
