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PRESS RELEASE
Information Bureau
Communist Party of the Philippines
AFP's claim of victory in Camarines Sur: Hot-air to cover up abuses -- CPP
May 21, 2004
The Communist Party of the Philippines today dismissed as "hot air" the military's claims of victory against the New People's Army (NPA) in 13 Camarines Sur towns.
CPP spokesman Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal said such claims made yesterday by Maj. Gen. John D. Bolhayon, commander of the 9th Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army (9th Bde), are merely efforts to cover up their rampant human rights violations in the area.
Citing reports by human rights organizations, Rosal said soldiers belonging to the 9th, 42nd and 31st Infantry Battalions under the 9th Bde as well as the 9th Scout Ranger Company are responsible for rampant human rights violations, including numerous cases of summary executions, illegal abductions and incarcerations, torture, rape, indiscriminate firing and looting in the area.
The abuses are being committed in the course of AFP operations to track down the whereabouts of two soldiers being held by the NPA as prisoners of war. Lt. Ronaldo Fedelino and Pfc Ronel Leme�o were captured when they surrendered to the NPA after their unit was ambushed by local guerrillas in Tinambac town in March. Rosal said that the AFP's claims are also designed to obscure the AFP's failure to find the two prisoners.
Rosal pointed out that the AFP's abuses could hardly endear them to the local populace. "How can the Philippine Army claim victory when they have only totally lost the support and respect of the people in Camarines Sur?" asked Rosal saying that their actuations have further only caused the AFP's further isolation from the people
Rosal said that the people in the affected towns have not stopped supporting the NPA. "This is evidenced by the fact that the local NPA unit has maintained its presence in the area despite the AFP's massive and continuous military operations these past several months," he said.
Reference:
Anne Buenaventura
Media Officer
Cellphone Number: +63910-240-3553
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