The Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (NPA)-Negros Island (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command) paid tribute to its seven Red fighters who died in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) “overkill” armed operation on the morning of April 27 in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental. The Kabankalan 7 died while fulfilling the noble duty of continuously advancing the armed struggle, expanding the mass base, and carrying out the agrarian revolution on the island.

The seven martyrs are Reniel Locsin Cellon (Ka Randy), Mary Jane Magquilat (Ka Shonie), Charity Amacan (Ka Mayang), Johnrey Mejares (Ka Jai), Glenda Tinio Mejares (Ka Glendyl), Ka Pitong, and Dee Supelanas (Ka Dahlia). Supelanas was a former student leader of UP-Cebu. Three of the martyrs were senior citizens and had medical conditions that limited their mobility.

On April 29, Cebuano youth gathered and lit candles together at the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu to pay tribute to Supelanas. Before serving as a Red fighter, Supelanas was an activist and student leader. She led campaigns for education, social services, democratic rights, and the fight against tyranny and fascism.

The Party and NPA-Negros Island extended their condolences to the families, friends, and comrades of the Kabankalan 7. “Even as we mourn, let us use this opportunity to further forge the revolutionary spirit, as a way to achieve justice for our martyrs,” Party information officer Ka Marco Valbuena said.

Valbuena also condemned the National Task Force-Elcac and the AFP for vilifying Supelanas’ memory. State forces portray her as a “victim of manipulation” by the Party and the NPA, despite the fact that thousands of youth have joined and will continue to join the revolutionary movement to transform the rotten society because of their patriotism.

Meanwhile, the human rights group Kapatid called for an investigation into the Kabankalan 7 killings. They are pushing for an investigation as they doubt if “a real military encounter happened or whether it was outright execution.” The group finds it suspicious that not one of the seven Red fighters survived.

They asked that given the AFP’s overwhelming advantage in numbers and firepower compared to the encamped Red fighters, why they were not just arrested. “Why was not even one of them-or all of them-arrested and charged? Turned into political prisoners rather than silenced forever?” the group added.