The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) desecrated the remains of Jevilyn Cullamat, a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) who was killed during an encounter in Ma­ri­ha­tag, Su­ri­gao del Sur on November 28. The 3rd Special Forces Bat­ta­li­on published a photo in their media reports and social media accounts where soldiers posed behind the corpse like a hunting trophy.

Jevilyn was the youngest daughter of Ba­yan Mu­na Rep. Eufe­mia Cul­la­mat. “I love my daughter who loves the nation. I am proud of her. She is a hero of the Lumad people and the nation,” said her mother.

The desecration of the remains of those who have died in the course of armed conflict and harassment od their relatives is against the international rules of war. The NTF-ELCAC is using the incident to maliciously red-tag Bayan Muna and coerce it to denounce communism and the armed struggle. Its representatives refused to do so and instead called on the regime to address the root causes of the armed conflict.

Such desecration is not new to the AFP. Ealier in May 13, the 23rd IB publicly displayed the remains of 10 Red fighters in a populous village in Gingoog City. The casualties were slain during an aerial bombing operation. They made the residents line up to view the heavily mutilated corpses.

The military also photographed and posted the corpses of minors Jhun Mark Acto, 15, who was killed by soldiers in Davao del Sur earlier in April 2018; and another 16-year old boy in Ba­ra­ngay Ma­ni­la de Bu­ga­bos, Bu­tu­an City in Nob­yembre 2019. They made it appear the the minors were NPA members.

Websites and social media accounts administered by the AFP are filled with photographs portraying the desecration of the remains of civilians and Red fighters who were killed by soldiers.