The US-Estrada regime's blatant fascist and terrorist rule in Southern Tagalog
It is no longer necessary for the US-Estrada regime to declare martial law as Marcos-style open fascist and terrorist rule prevails in Southern Tagalog. Fascist troops have been relentlessly launching violent attacks all over Southern Tagalog. The nine Philippine Army (PA) battalions, three Marine battalions, two special battalions and the Provincial Mobile Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as well as Citizens' Armed Forces Geographical Unit companies have done nothing but perpetrate various heinous crimes against the people of the region. Different sectors of the toiling masses in the countryside and cities as well as other people of the region have been witness to the US-Estrada regime's daily flagrant violations of human rights.
The regime's long list of fascist crimes includes massacres, salvaging, illegal arrests, criminalization of suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA), economic blockades, bombings and mass evacuation of barriofolk.
Following are only a few of the most notorious cases of terrorist suppression perpetrated by the regime in the region in 1999:
In Quezon, five defenseless NPA fighters were sprayed with gunfire in Barrio Calantas, Tayabas on August 24 at around 7:00 p.m. All killed after being shot in the back were Melinda de Castro, 36; Juanito Rocafort, 32; Teodoro Gonzales, 34; and Leo Mansit, 18. Marlon Cabrera, 25, who was wounded, was captured and forcibly brought to the V. Luna Hospital where he was threatened and his dextrose tubes injected with various drugs. He was wracked with more pain and suffering before he was located by a representative of KARAPATAN. The perpetrators were 76th IB troops led by Maj. Emmanuel Mendoza.
In Laguna, "Ka Junard", a Red fighter wounded in a firefight in Balian, Pangil on May 6, 1999, had his leg mercilessly amputated. He was captured while recuperating in a hospital in Manila. Doctors averred that the amputation was unnecessary. The crime was committed by the 16th ISU-ISG led by Capt. Edgardo Cumahig.
In Rizal, cases of illegal arrests, torture and forcing of villagers to guide soldiers to NPA locations are widespread. On March 5, 1999, three suspected guerrillas were captured, brutally tortured and forced to serve as guides. First to be captured was Rocky Pajardo followed by Cayaon Calapang and Muay Sapiccio. On September 16, 1999, a civilian named Corante from San Ysiro, Antipolo City was illegally arrested. He was tortured and forced to serve as guide to an NPA camp. Involved were elements of the 5th SRC led by Lt. Eric Lycoco.
In Batangas, Ireneo Marasigan was killed at the Lipa City public market on January 8, 1999. This was followed on February 15, 1999 by the murder of Lodrigo de Guzman, a resident of Abong, San Juan and member of a local Party branch.
On May 12, 1999, four civilians were massacred in Sitio Malabnig, Balatbat, Lobo by elements of the 20th Special Forces Company led by Sergeant Batayola. The house of Flaviano Cortas was sprayed with gunfire, killing him, his two children and his brother-in-law Nilo Palalay, 25.
On December 27, 1999, Naning Hernandez, a peasant leader from Bario Hukay, Calatagan was killed by hired goons protected by the military and the mayor of Calatagan.
In Occidental Mindoro, Roger Aloro's wife and child were brutally fired upon, killing his nine-month-old child and a suspected NPA member in Sitio Prubinsya Agaton, Tanyag, Calintaan on October 26, 1999. Perpetrators were elements of the Regional Mobile Group and 407th PNP PPMG led by P/Col. Rolando Ravara and P/Insp. Victor Jaycees S. Tolentino.
Meanwhile, Lunching, 26, an ex-NPA fighter from Alacaac, Sta. Cruz, Occidental Mindoro was illegally arrested, subjected to electric shock treatment and detained for almost a month by a composite team of the 76th IB led by Lt. Felixberto Ama. Violy Alcantara, 40, was also arrested in the same village. She was theatened and forced to admit to taking in NPA guerrillas.
In Marinduque, elements of the 74th IB mercilessly shot an old man and his three-year-old grandchild despite his pleas that they were civilians. The child survived because the old man told him to run. The incident occurred on April 2, 1999 in Mompog, Marinduque.
In Palawan, Norjury Unggong, owner of a house in Sitio Maligaya, Aramaywan, Narra where a firefight between the NPA and the Philippine Marines took place on June 21, 1999, was wounded and captured. He was hit in the calf but doctors at the WESCOM Hospital (Western Command) amputated him from the knee. Responsible were elements of the 21st Marine Coy of the 1st Marine Battalion Landing Team based in Abu-abo, Sofronio Expa�ola, Palawan and led by Lt.Col. Ariel Querubin.
In Cavite, two suspected NPA members, Francisco Morillo, 20 of Kaong, Silang and Francisco Arpia, 46 of Barangay Burgos, Mulanay, Quezon were arrested on July 15, 1999 and were never seen again. Arrested with them was Rolando Torres who was released after a few days. The case is similar to the arrest and disappearance of Danilo Caisip, 43 and Jason Nieva, 19 on December 8, 1998 in Kaybanban, Cayrilao, Nasugbu. Their bodies have not been discovered to date. The perpetrators were elements of the PNP and the private army of Mayor Filomeno Maligaya (formerly Sergeant Maligaya who was involved in the murder of Ka Lando Olalia and Leonor Alay-ay) of Magallanes, Cavite. Also involved was PPAG Col. Rustico Francisco.
In Romblon, a house in Barrio Matutuna, San Andres was sprayed with bullets on September 18, 1999 after Ka Aljun or Felix Dumalagan was killed there by troopers of the 412 PMG of Romblon led by Police Chief Inspector de Villa and Police Inspector Miranda. The men in the house were ordered to get out with their arms raised, line up against a wall and take their clothes off. Arrested were civilians Ronnie Fajilagot, Walter Ortega, Virgilio Mani and Rustico Mijares. Only two of those arrested were NPA fighters (Emma Montoya and Joemari Gusi who was seriously wounded in the chest) but the civilians were nonetheless detained indefinitely. This was followed by the execution of Ka Alvin, 18 or Raymond Magbata Manggao of Barangay Cabulutan, San Agustin, Romblon.
In Oriental Mindoro, a Mangyan community suffered tremendously after a strafing operation conducted by troops of the Alpha Coy of the Recon Bn led by Captain Pipit and Marines led by Captain Montojo and 1Lieutenant Coronel of Task Force Seagull which is under the command of Col. Carlito Gamit. This occurred on January 20 in Sitio Tambangan, Barangay San Juan, Bulalacao. Sustaining much damage to property, the Mangyan were subjected to fascist terror and warned not to take in the NPA.
The regime has bloodied hands. The terrorism sowed by Oplan Makabayan has exacerbated the hardships suffered by the masses in Southern Tagalog. But the regime's flagrant fascist attacks against the people in the region are debts that the fascists shall pay for dearly. Said the Melito Glor Command (MGC): "All NPA units under the MGC shall continue waging tactical offensives to demonstrate to the US-Estrada regime that it cannot terrorize the people of Southern Tagalog. It has become ever-clear to the people of the region that the justice they seek for the US-Estrada regime's human rights violations can only be attained upon the victory of the people's democratic revolution through protracted people's war."
Based on a statement of the Southern Tagalog Regional Operational Command
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