The 14 men killed in police operations over the weekend had previous involvement or allied with the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) of the New People’s Army who resisted arrest, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Oscar Albayalde.
Albayalde defended the police-military action, denying accusations that the suspects were massacred.
“They have 36 search warrants in different parts of Negros Oriental. Hindi po ito nangyari sa iisang lugar. Hindi totoo na ito ay masaker,” Albayalde said.
“Remember there were also 12 people who were arrested so meron pong hindi nanlaban at naaresto. Itong mga 14 ito ang mga sinasabi nilang nanlaban. Hindi naman siguro magpapaputok ang ating mga pulis kung hindi naman talaga nanlaban itong mga taong ito,” he added.
Killed were Edgardo Avelino, Esmael Avelino, Rogelio Recomono, Ricky Recomono, Genes Palmares, Gonzalo Rosales, Melchor Panares and Mario Panares, all of Canlaon City; Steve Arapoc, Manulo Martin, Sonny Palagtiw and Eric Acabal, all of Manjuyod town; Ano Enojo Rapada and Franklin Lariosa, both of Sta. Catalina town.
The 36 search warrants were for illegal possession of firearms and explosives under Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations or “Oplan Sauron” in Canlaon City, Majuyod and Sta. Catalina last Saturday.
The operations took place a day after the 50th anniversary of the NPA last Friday.
The operating units involved were the Canlaon City Police Station, PNP-SAF assigned in the region, and 94th Infantry Battallion of the Philippine Army.
During the simultaneous operations, Police Corporal Ian Puerto, of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7) Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) was hurt.
To maintain partiality, Albayalde has ordered the Internal Affairs Service (PNP-IAS) to look into the operations to determine whether there were indeed lapses on the part of the police.
“While we assume regularity in all police operations especially in this case that they have search warrants, the IAS will conduct a motu propio investigation,” he stated.
According to a report from Brigadier General Debold Sinas, regional director of the Central Visayas Police Regional Office (PRO-7), all of their operations were “intelligence-driven.”
“They have intelligence information bago nila ginawa itong operation na ito. Actually it’s covered by an operational plan. Hindi ito basta basta,” Albayalde said.
However, human rights and NPA group based in Negros Oriental condemned the operations saying those killed were farmer leaders and innocent civilians, not communist rebels.
JB Regalado, spokesman of the Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC-NPA) based in Negros Oriental, said that one of those killed was Esmael Avelino, a leader of a farmer’s association called Hugpong Kusog Mangunguma, the Canlaon City Chapter of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP).
Regalado also accused the police of planting evidence on the 12 arrested individuals.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has vowed to conduct a separate probe on the incident.
Meanwhile, Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares urged the PNP to release all the names of police personnel involved in the operations as he expressed intent to file charges against them.
Albayalde, for his part, said the names of police officers involved in the police operations were included in the spot reports and Bayan Muna can readily obtain them if they request for a copy of it in Negros Oriental. “Nasa report naman iyan. That’s a public document,” he said.
The PNP chief also expressed readiness should the police will be investigated by rights groups. (Martin Sadongdong)