Three farmers were killed and seven others arrested by armed state agents in the past few weeks.

In Occidental Mindoro, the 203rd IB killed former indigenous leader Baduy de la Cruz at Sitio Cawit, Barangay Gapasan on July 29. He has long been subjected to surveillance and coerced by the military to “surrender.”

In Northern Samar, the 20th IB murdered Nilo Ogatcho, barangay captain of Victory, Las Navas, on August 19. The local NPA unit in the area said that the killing was an act of retaliation by the military for the death of a soldier during an NPA offensive in the same barangay on July 9.

Elements of the 63rd IB killed Juddy Ragawdaw, former member of a peasant organization, during the first week of June in Barangay Loog, Basey, Western Samar.

Illegal arrest. The 203rd Brigade and police arrested a farmer identified only as “Ernesto Panganiban” in Barangay Lisap, Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro on August 6. He was arrested by soldiers and policemen to get the ₱4.5-billion bounty for the this invented name.

In Sibale, Romblon, four farmers who were seeking shelter to avoid the typhoon last July 2 were illegally arrested by policemen and coerced to surrender as NPA members. The victims, identified as Nolan Ramos, Benny Hilamon, Marlon Angelo Torres and Ma. Teresa Dioquino, were slapped with trumped up charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

The 62nd IB and 94th IB accosted George Francis and Edwardo Mission, residents of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on August 3. Francis is yet to be surfaced while Mission was surfaced at the police station in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental. On August 3, elements of the 94th IB indiscriminately strafed houses of the Ponsiano and Enriquez families at Sitio Tibak, Barangay Santol, Binalbagan.

In Masbate, barangay councilors Virginia Esperanza Cabiles, Jinky Esperanza Villadolid and Dee Madrilejo were arrested in Barangay Talisay, San Fernando on August 12 after being accused of having links with the revolutionary movement. They managed to escape initially but were later arrested in Masbate City.