NPA upheld International Conventions of War in 4 offensives in Boliney, Abra

20 May 2007, DIEGO WADAGAN, Spokesperson, Agustin Begnalen Command

The NPA's Agustin Begnalen Command strictly adhered to international conventions of war such as Protocols I & II of the 1946 Geneva Convention, and the CAHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws), jointly signed by the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, in the conduct of battles initiated from May 13-16, 2007.

On May 15, the NPA captured four officers of the 77th IB at about 10:30 AM at a checkpoint set up by the NPA along the road between Sitio Villa Conchita, Barangay San Ramon, Manabo and Barangay Baoyan, Boliney.

The army officers captured earlier were identified as 2Lt. Jeron Labrador Etrone, CO of "C" Coy, Sgt. Restino Angoluan Alabon, Sgt. Alexander Salvador Paulo, and Cpl. Benigno Eugenio Soriano Jr. Seized from them were two cal. 45 pistols. All their personal belongings were given back to them, including the two motorcycles on which they rode.

They were accorded the rights of prisoners of war. After establishing that they had no blood debts and records of human rights violations, they were released to the barangay officials and elders at about 2 PM the day they were captured at Barangay Baoyan, Boliney. The turnover was witnessed by the community people. They soldiers signed a waiver stating the fact that they were treated well and accorded the rights and privileges of POWs.

The NPA urged them to resign from the AFP or if not, they were enjoined to uphold the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) signed by the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front in 1998. They thanked the NPA profusely upon their release.

They were not in possession of any any ballots and election paraphernalia as claimed by the liar Lt. Col. Raul V. Bautista. The NPA did not release them in exchange for such fictitious ballots, but out of humanitarian reasons. Neither did the NPA use them as "shields in their withdrawal" because in the first place, there were no other enemy forces that time, and in the second place, the NPA does not use human shields, unlike the AFP. And lastly, the NPA did not withdraw, but remained in the area where the officers were captured which was exactly the same place where the 41 st IB was ambushed the next day.

Contrary to 41st IB statements, and as confirmed by the people in Boliney, the NPA did not take any "hostage" among the local people. Neither was the ambush meant to "stop the conduct of elections."

On May 16, 2007, at 5:30 AM, the NPA used command-detonated landmines. International treaties of war prohibit the use of self-detonating explosives. So as to make sure that explosives will be detonated only against enemy troops and actual military targets, switches are triggered by well-trained and highly-disciplined Red fighters and commanders. The wounded and captured were treated humanely and were administered with the necessary first aid, before they were subsequently released.

These are in stark contrast to the extra-judicial killings, intimidations, illegal arrest, torture, killing of "hors-de-combat" (wounded in battle and rendered incapable of fighting), looting and destruction of properties systematically undertaken by the AFP in the conduct of military operations in pursuit of the Macapagal-Arroyo Regime's Oplan Bantay Laya II.

The NPA conducted these punitive attacks against the 41st IB due to its fascist record, and not to sabotage the May 14 elections or to snatch ballots, as claimed by Army Spokesperson Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacaro. In fact, some elements of the 41st IB and the PNP render their services to "highest-bidder" warlords in Abra. This is the reason why despite being under COMELEC control since the start of the campign period, election-related violence continued unabated in certain areas where there is a large concentration of 41 st IB troopers and PNP-PMG/RMG police personnel.

As usual, the AFP tried to reverse its humiliating defeats by spouting lies against the NPA. #

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