The New People’s Army (NPA)-Mindoro (Lucio De Guzman Command) repelled an attack by 68th IB soldiers on one of its units in Sitio Salafay, Barangay Monteclaro, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on March 29, the 57th anniversary of the NPA. Battalion officer 1st Lt. Dean Buen Oyando was killed in the firefight while two others were wounded.

The encounter was the second in Barangay Monteclaro within a week. The first took place on March 24 in Sitio Danlog, where three soldiers were killed and two Red fighters were slightly wounded.

The island’s NPA spokesperson Ka Madaay Gasic said the Red fighters bravely defended themselves in both clashes. “The unit showed overflowing courage against the fascist 68th IB troops, a scourge to the people of San Jose and Rizal, Occidental Mindoro because of its relentless operations in these towns,” Gasic said.

The NPA-Southern Tagalog (Melito Glor Command) lauded the Red fighters’ steadfastness in facing the fascist military. “The lives of the Red commanders and fighters of the NPA who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the noble cause of national freedom and democracy must be honored,” regional command spokesperson Ka Cleo del Mundo said.

Del Mundo added that the Mindoro masses are pleased with the damage inflicted on the 68th IB because its soldiers have long imposed suffering and violence on them, especially on the Mangyan communities. The battalion has been involved in repeated threats, intimidation, and harassment of civilians, forced surrenders and summons to military camps, and cruel interrogations that drove some Mangyan Buhid to suicide.

He said the 68th IB also has a notorious record of spreading decadent culture, including illegal drugs and prostitution, wherever it builds military camps. One instance of this was the exploitation of Buhid women by soldiers stationed at their camp in Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monteclaro.

Del Mundo further said the successive encounters belie the US-Marcos regime’s claim that no guerrilla units remain in Mindoro or anywhere in the country. “Contrary to the propaganda of the US-Marcos II regime and the AFP-PNP, the armed revolution continues to blaze across the country,” he said.

Arrested youth not a combatant

The NPA-Mindoro belied the 2nd ID’s claim that the youth it arrested, Charlize Garzon or Ceeka, is a Red fighter. “In desperation after suffering losses and failure, the fascist 68th IB arrested a civilian youth,” Gasic said.

The 2nd ID alleged that Garzon was captured in the area where the March 29 firefight between the 68th IB and NPA-Mindoro occurred. The soldiers brought her to the San Jose Municipal Police Station to allegedly face criminal charges.

Garzon is a cultural activist who graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors in AB Arts Management from De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and a St. Mutien Marie Wiaux scholar. She visited Mindoro to study the progressive aspects of Mangyan indigenous culture.

Before coming to the island, she volunteered in an Alternative Learning System (ALS) program in poor communities in the National Capital Region where she became a devoted cultural activist. Motivated by her deep advocacy to bring art and culture to the poor and the unschooled, she went to the indigenous communities of Mindoro.

In this regard, Gasic joined the growing calls of human rights and progressive groups for Garzon’s immediate release.