CPP denounces Philippine Army’s firing at innocent civilians and cover-up of the incident
April 28, 2004

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today denounced the Philippine Army (PA) for the early morning shooting of innocent teenagers at a checkpoint in Rodriguez, Rizal last April 27 and the subsequent attempt to cover-up of the bloody blunder.

CPP spokesperson Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal lambasted the 80th IB PA, whose soldiers manning a checkpoint in Sitio Wawa, Barangay San Rafael indiscriminately fired at a vehicle carrying four innocent teenagers.

Rosal cited radio reports that the youthful driver named Junior did not have a license to drive, hesitated at the checkpoint and reversed direction. “However, instead of just pursuing the vehicle and questioning the occupants, the soldiers instantly fired at the vehicle on suspicion that the occupants were NPA guerrillas,” said Rosal.

Two teenage girls, Mary Joy Macasa, 14, and Vanessa Ramos, 15, were wounded in the firing. The CPP spokesperson said that equally despicable is the cover-up of the incident being attempted by the Philippine Army. Rosal severely blasted 80th IB commander Lt. Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno’s insistence that his soldiers only responded to shots fired from the vehicle. Rosal added that the Nepomuceno has now even come out with a tall-tale that one of his men sustained a bullet wound in the left arm.

Rosal said that according to Armando Guevarra of the NPA-Rizal’s Narciso Antazo Aramil Command, NPA guerrillas were nowhere then near the site of the shooting incident.

Rosal said that the Philippine Army and the particular officers and soldiers involved in the firing incident and its cover-up should be held responsible for their misdeeds. Rosal said that these constitute violations of the Comprehensive Agreement for Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and suggested that the families of the teenagers bring up the case before the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).

The JMC, which is charged with monitoring the implementation of the CARHRIHL, has already been put into motion following recent agreements between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Arroyo government. #

Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553

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CPP denounces Philippine Army’s firing at innocent civilians and cover-up of the incident April 28, 2004

CPP denounces Philippine Army’s firing at innocent civilians and cover-up of the incident
April 28, 2004