The National Democratic Front-Eastern Visayas welcomes the decision of the Commission on Human Rights-Region 8 to pursue investigation into the overkill bombing of the Armed Forces of the Philippines against a unit of the New People’s Army in Dolores, Eastern Samar.

On August 16, against what it estimated to be a 50-man unit of the New People’s Army, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) mounted an overly brutal aerial bombardment campaign, squandering billions of pesos to satisfy the Duterte regime’s insatiable desire to kill, kill, kill. At least 19 personnel were killed in the aerial bombing.

Days after his brutal killing, scores of portraits and tributes to Ka Parts Bagani were posted online by various organizations. Revolutionaries and progressive artists honored both his contributions to military and cultural work. Ka Parts (John Niebres/Ernie Peñaranda) was brutally murdered last August 16 in Barangay Cannery, Polomolok, South Cotabato by military and police operatives. […]

We call on the Filipino people and all revolutionary forces to raise their fists and hail the 19 martyrs of Dolores, Red fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) who perished in an aerial strike conducted by the US-supported fascist Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last August 16 in Barangay Osmeña, Dolores town, Eastern Samar.

The AFP and PNP’s declaration of a supposed encounter in San Fernando, Camarines Sur in early August is nothing but fake news. The slain victim, Arnel Marco Olitoquit, was a civilian and had not been a member of the NPA. This is proven by the Olitoquit family’s public plea on social media platforms after the victim disappeared last August 7 and was said to be killed during an encounter on August 9.