The 62nd IB soldiers captured and deliberately killed a Red fighter of the New People’s Army (NPA)-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command) on May 1 in Barangay Humay-humay, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. Meanwhile, soldiers captured another wounded Red fighter who is yet to be surfaced.

The killed Red fighter, Tony Pahayahay (Ka Pidol), 62 years old, was wounded in the encounter between the NPA and the 62nd IB in Sitio Lupo on the morning of May 1. NPA-Central Negros spokesperson Ka JB Regalado said Ka Pidol was captured in Sitio Tubod, one kilometer away from the site of the battle.

Ka JB also reported that soldiers captured another wounded NPA-Central Negros Red fighter. “Up to now, he is yet to be located,” he said.

“The NPA-Central Negros condemns the 62nd IB for violating laws of war and international humanitarian law,” Ka JB stated. He called for the immediate surfacing of the captured Red fighter.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson refuted the 62nd IB officials’ statement of having seized weapons from the Red army. He said that the NPA left no weapons in the encounter except for some personal belongings.

Ka JB also clarified that only one battle occurred between the people’s army and the 62nd IB on that day. He said that the three other encounters the 62nd IB claimed were all misencounters due to the excessive deployment of military forces who, out of fear of being overtaken by their enemy, ended up engaging their own forces.

Ka JB also condemned the 62nd IB for other fascist crimes it committed in Barangay Humay-humay and neighboring communities. The soldiers fired indiscriminately, imposed curfews, and set up checkpoints in the barangays of Bulado, Tacpao, Binobohan, Humay-humay, Planas, and Imelda in Guihulngan City.

Ka JB called on the people of Central Negros, especially those in the affected barangays of Guihulngan City, not to succumb to fear and to assert their human rights.