The New People’s Army (NPA)-Negros Island (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command) exposed and condemned state forces for its abduction and summary execution of two individuals in Negros Occidental on March 7-8. According to the unit, this is a crime and violation of international humanitarian law.

Crime Investigation and Detection Group agents picked up Noynoy Ponteras (Ka Jojo) and Marisa Pobresa (Ka Kim) on March 7, at 7 pm, in a barangay in Bacolod City. The next day, they were presented as killed in an armed encounter between the 79th IB and NPA in Sityo Paraiso, Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City. Bacolod City is at least 65 kilometers away from Cadiz.

According to NPA-Negros Island, the two were subjected to torture and then summarily killed. The soldiers even displayed their remains in a sugarcane field and planted weapons and war equipment on their persons.

“The 303rd IBde and 79th IB blatanly lied and deceived the public in their statement that they killed two high-ranking officials of the NPA,” NPA-Negros Island spokesperson Maoche Legislador said. He emphasized that the military officials only aimed to collect the bounty on Ponteras’ head.

Legislador also condemned the 79th IB for its “shameless” use of the victims’ remains in their psywar campaign and propaganda to the public. The soldiers deceptively and pretentiously “helped” the victims’ families and returned the remains to relatives to prettify their own image.

“Behind the pictures and return of the remains to the family posted on social media is the intimidation and harassment of the 79th IB and other reactionary forces,” Legislador said. The victims’ relatives were relentlessly harassed even during the wake and burial.

Legislador added that the ordeal the two shows the US-Marcos regime’s use of fascism in responding to the roots of armed conflict in the country. “The regime is not sincere in addressing the problems…the severe suffering from hunger and chaos,” according to the spokesperson.

NPA-Negros Island called for justice for the deliberate killing. “Justice for Ka Jojo and Ka Kim! Continue advancing the people’s democratic revolution!” Legislador called.

Karapatan also condemned this violation in a statement. “Such violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, especially in places like Negros island, have now become a trademark of Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s regime,” the group’s secretary general Cristina Palabay said. She demand the regime to immediately stop these fascist policies.