Ma­rio Ca­ra­ig (Ka Jethro), a Ba­ta­ngueño who became a leader of the armed movement in Sout­hern Tagalog, was summarily executed by the Armed Forces of the Phi­lip­pi­nes on August 8. He was asleep and unable to give battle when killed by 1st IB troopers at a house in Ba­ra­ngay San Anto­nio, Ka­la­ya­an, La­gu­na.

He was critically injured earlier on August 4 during an encounter between his unit and the military in the same area. Three Red fighters were also killed during the said encounter. Killing an hors de combat is against the rules of war.

Ka Jethro was an official of the Regional Party Committee in Southern Tagalog and its Executive Committee. He became a leader of the revolutionary movement in Batangas where he was organized during the struggle against the Mar­cos dictatorship. He spent nearly 27 out of his 36 years of service in building the revolutionary movement in the province. From being the secretary and political officer of a mass work unit in Batangas, he became the secretary of the Party committee in the province in 2017.

During his lifelong service, he led several successful mass struggles, including campaigns of the toiling masses for land and livelihood. These struggles were directed primarily against bourgeois com­pradors and landlords such as the Sy, Aya­la, Roxas, Ang and Cam­pos families. The campaigns include the successful raid against Henry Sy’s armed goons and properties in Na­sug­bu in January 2017.

Soldiers also harassed and hassled the relatives of Ka Jethro, as well as those of Red fighters Rey Maci­nas and Alex Perde­gue­ra who were also slain, in retrieving the cadavers. It took them several days before the bodies were turned over to them. Soldiers are yet to disclose where they buried Diosco­ro Cel­lo. These acts are blatant violations of war protocols.

The military is also yet to surface the family who took care of Ka Jethro. Witnesses say that they last saw Vir­gi­lio Asedillo, his daughter Chloe, 19, and the latter’s wife, Marknel, brought to a police precinct in Laguna.

In Ilocos Sur, Red fighter Pamela Oclia­so Pe­ral­ta (Ka May-may) was also summarily executed by the 7th ID in Ba­ra­ngay Sua­ga­yan, San­ta Lucia on August 8.