The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) strongly condemned the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), particularly the 4th ID, for the cowardly and dishonorable murder of Ka Oris (Jorge Madlos) and his medical aide, Ka Pika. The Party also condemned the lies peddled by military officers to the media to cover up their crimes.

Ka Oris, 72, was an elected member of the Central Committee, Political Bureau and Executive Committee of the CPP. He played a key role in the National Operational Command (NOC) of the New People’s Army (NPA) and served as its spokesperson. He was among the first Party cadres who established the NPA in Mindanao. In tribute, the CPP declared November 7 as the International Day of Remembrance of Ka Oris. (Read the CPP Central Committee’s full tribute in the special issue of Ang Bayan, November 2, 2021.)

Contrary to lies peddled by the military, Ka Oris and Ka Pika were not killed in an encounter. They were aboard a motorcycle and traversing the road from the center of Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon province going to the national highway when they were ambushed by soldiers belonging to the 403rd Infantry Brigade. They were en route for his regular health checkup and to seek medical treatment. Both were unarmed and were in no position to give battle.

Four hours after they were slain, the military swarmed the forested areas of Sitio Gabunan, Barangay Dumalaguing, in the same town with FA-50 fighter jets and helicopters. The following day, October 30, the military reported that military units supposedly cleared the area. The AFP made it appear that its units “encountered” Ka Oris and Ka Pika’s unit at around 11 a.m. They claimed that they “recovered” the cadavers of the victims on site.

The AFP could not produce photographs of the encounter site. All photographs of Ka Oris’ remains were tight shots. It can also be noticed that Ka Oris’s goatee and moustache were shaved off which he only does when he has to travel outside an NPA area and need to alter his appearance.

To make it appear that that an “encounter” took place, the AFP repeatedly bombed the mountainous area of Barangay Dumalaguing on November 2.

The military even concocted a lie that Ka Oris frequented Cagayan de Oro City to undergo regular dialysis. Ka Oris did not suffer from kidney failure, but from a damaged urinary bladder which he endured for more thanthree decades.

On November 3, the AFP burned all evidences of their crime by unilaterally having the remains of Ka Oris cremated under the pretext of “complying with Covid-19 protocols.” This was after his cadaver supposedly tested positive for Covid-19 (which was not subject to verification by independent health workers.) The AFP carried out the cremation despite the fact that Ka Oris’ brother was already on his way to retrieve his remains.

In doing so, the AFP closed all possibility to have his remains autopsied by independent pathologists. The cremation also defied the wishes of his relatives and the revolutionary movement to bring his remains to Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte where it can be viewed for the last time. He left behind his wife Maria Malaya, and their two children.