DAVAO CITY – The National Democratic Front has stated that the attack on three personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is part of its “active defense” and was therefore “legitimate.”
This was reiterated by Ka Allan Juanito, North Central Mindanao Regional Command (NCMR) spokesperson of the New People’s Army (NPA) regarding the Feb. 1 incident which killed Corporal Pat O. Non, Corporal Nino Christopher Talabor and Sergeant Owen Yee of the 8th Infantry Batallion.
The NPA spokesperson claimed that the three were not unarmed and had been conducting reconnaissance operations against the rebels despite the ongoing peace talks between the government and the NDFP/Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Oslo, Norway and Rome, Italy.
“The allegation that the three were arrested and killed after was therefore not true. That they were unarmed was also not true. As a matter of fact, three .45 pistols were seized from them,” the statement said.
The NDFP also denied that the NPA took away the subsistence allowance of the soldiers.
“The wallets of Sgt. Yee and Cpl. Talabor were never taken. Only the wallet with an ID card and documents of Cpl. Non was retrieved,” the statement said.
The NPA also belied the claim of the 8th IB that the presence of the soldiers were for a socio-civic project.
“For the whole duration of their stay, not even a single sack of cement was being delivered by them to the said barrios.”
According to the NPA, their fighters positioned alongside the road were forced to open fire when two of the troopers pulled out their pistols.
The NDF claims the 8th IB troops began their encampment on October 26 at in Brgy. Kibalabag and on November 24 in Brgy. Manalog.
“Until this day, they have not pulled-out from these two barangays,” the statement said.
There were no “social services” to speak of, added the rebels.
“In fact, they are spreading decadent influence to the peace-loving residents like drinking sprees, gambling and pornography,” it said.
Meanwhile, the rebels denied “desecrating” the cadavers of the fallen soldiers.
“Since their bodies were not immediately retrieved for more than 24 hours, their bodies must have decomposed due to the changing weather conditions,” the statement said.
The NPA reminded the government that it had already released most of its prisoners of war as a confidence building measure.
“To the families, relatives and friends of the fallen soldiers, we offer our sincere condolences. This incident happened while the peace negotiations between the NDFP and the GRP are going on,” added the statement.
(YAS D. OCAMPO)