The Communist Party of the Philippines today slammed the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the 20-day torture and subsequent cold-blooded murder of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant for Southern Mindanao Ezequiel C. Daguman (Ka Rey). The murder of Daguman is the latest of more than 20 known revolutionaries and peace consultants murdered by Duterte’s fascist butchers.

CPP Chief Information Officer Marco L. Valbuena pointed out that Daguman was killed while in the custody of the AFP after he was abducted last March 7 in New Corella, Davao del Norte by elements of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command.

The AFP announced last Monday, March 28, that Daguman was killed in a supposed encounter on March 27 in Maragusan, Davao de Oro. The spokesperson of NDFP-Southern Mindanao said that the AFP revealed its hand in the abduction and murder of Daguman.

“In belatedly surfacing Daguman with a convenient cover-up story, the fascist thugs only incriminated their bloodied hands in the crime of Daguman’s abduction and murder. In spinning the false narrative, the AFP has unwittingly exposed its standard operating procedure of misinformation and fake news to conceal its innumerable crimes,” NDF-Southern Mindanao spokesperson Rubi del Mundo said.

“Judging by the record of the AFP, Daguman was certainly subjected to severe physical and psychological torture to make him give up his principles and turn against the people,” asserted Valbuena. “That he was summarily executed is a clear indicator that Daguman remained true to the revolutionary cause,” noted Valbuena.

As peace consultant, Daguman is assigned in the provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao de Oro. He holds official documents under the Joint Agreement on Safety Immunity Guarantees (JASIG), signed by the reactionary Manila government and the NDFP in 1995. The document provides for guarantees for negotiators, personnel and consultants of both parties against reprisals, including surveillance and arrests.

“The AFP reveals its complete lack of honor in the cowardly killing of Daguman and scores of civilians and other unarmed revolutionaries and peace consultants,” said Valbuena.

“The AFP has repeatedly used fake encounters to justify and cover-up the most atrocious crimes against non-combatants and civilians,” said Valbuena, pointing to how NPA leaders Jorge Madlos (Ka Oris) and Menandro Villanueva (Ka Bok) were also killed by military forces after being arrested.

Valbuena then noted that if the next government will pursue peace negotiations with the NDFP, it should hold Duterte and his military thugs accountable for their crimes against peace consultants and the Filipino people.

Meanhwhile, abducted NDFP peace consultant Edwin Alcid, together with two others, remains at the hands of the AFP and his whereabouts are still unknown since his illegal arrest last March 7 in Barangay San Jose, Catubig, Northern Samar. “We will hold the officers of the AFP directly responsible for any harm that may befall Alcid and his companions,” Valbuena pointed out.

Valbuena also revealed that they have received information to NDFP peace consultant Esteban Manuel is being kept in solitary confinement in a military camp in Samar.