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PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
CPP condemns the PNP for using civilians as human shields
April 4, 2004
The Communist Party of the Philippines today lambasted the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police for using civilians as human shields in their military and police operations.
The Efren Martires Command of the NPA in Eastern Visayas through its spokesperson, Efren Sumuroy, said that the Eastern Visayas PNP-Regional Mobile Group premeditatedly and irresponsibly used three civilian employees of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) in Ormoc, Leyte, as human shields in a police operation against the NPA.
The PNP-RMG unit was ambushed on March 26 by the forces under the Efren Martires Command as the unit was responding to an earlier attack by the NPA on the drilling facility of the PNOC. Sumuroy said that the drilling facility had to be incapacitated for heavily polluting the environment, causing grave damage to the people's health in the area and also for instigating landgrabbing in the drilling site.
Sumuroy said that the PNP-RMG took the three civilians to ride along with the reinforcement convoy of the PNP, fully aware of the high possibility of engaging the NPA in an armed battle.
Sumuroy said that what the PNP did constituted a violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) between the government and the National Democratic Front. The
CARHRIHL specifially prohibits both sides of the armed conflict from "allowing the participation of civilian or civilian officials in military field operations and campaigns" as this would put them in danger of being killed or caught in the crossfire.
The Efren Martires Command expressed "deep regrets and sadness" for the death of three PNOC employees who the NPA forces at the time did not know were also riding with the reinforcement forces in the PNP convoy. Eight members of the PNP-RMG were killed in the ambush.
Sumuroy offered the Efren Martires Command's "sincerest condolences and assistance" to the families of the PNOC employees who died.
Communist Party of the Philippines spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal also expressed the same in behalf of the CPP and the NPA.
"The Eastern Visayas PNP-RMG should, however, face up to its responsibility in intentionally and treacherously using those civilians as shields," Rosal added.
Rosal said the NPA on its part has always been cautioning the people not to hitch rides in military or police vehicles and convoys in military operations mode as these are legitimate targets of NPA tactical offensives.
Rosal said further that it is the policy of the NPA to call off tactical offensives if there were even slight possiblities of civilians getting caught in the crossfire.
Rosal said that this policy of the NPA to always safeguard the interest and welfare of the masses foremost and to consciously and strictly uphold and implement civilized humanitarian rules in waging the armed struggle is one of the reasons why it is a strong, disciplined and well-loved army of the people, unlike the AFP which wantonly violates human rights.
The CPP spokesperson expressed deep regrets, however, that this time the NPA unit that hit the PNP-RMG convoy did not know early enough that there were innocent civilians in the convoy.
The Efren Martires Command has expressed its full sense of responsibility in regard to the incident and its willingness to cooperate fully in any investigation into the incident by the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC). The JMC, which is to be formally convened this month, is tasked to oversee the implementation of the CARHRIHL. It is composed of representatives of the government and the NDF as well as observers appointed by both parties.
The CPP, through its spokesperson, also challenged the government to likewise submit to the JMC the Eastern Visayas PNP-RMG unit responsible for the incident.
Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553
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