The National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas (NDF-EV) today assailed the 8th Infantry Division for vomiting outright lies against Ka John Paul, a 20-year old Red fighter of the Arnulfo Ortiz Command, who was martyred last April 17 in Barangay Salvacion, Jiabong. Western Samar “Not content with desecrating the memory of our beloved comrade, 8th ID spokesperson Capt. Christopher Tataro and his fascist superiors are now completely making up stories to malign the entire revolutionary movement and cover up their own slew of abuses against minors,” said Ka Celine Manlimbasog, spokesperson for the NDF-EV.

Manlimbasog insisted that while they are still confirming details surrounding his death, Ka John Paul was definitely not a minor. “He and his poor peasant family evacuated from Matuguinao to San Jose de Buan after being a target of the 8th ID’s forced surrender campaign. Instead of yielding to this sham program, Ka John Paul voluntarily joined the New People’s Army when he turned 18 in 2023, and from then on never wavered from his commitment to waging armed struggle,” the spokesperson said. “He humbly and whole-heartedly served the downtrodden masses and showed a maturity beyond his years. He never backed out of important tasks no matter how difficult. The entire revolutionary movement in Eastern Visayas give him the highest Red salute.”

Manlimbasog observed that these fabrications by the 8th ID serve to veer attention away from the cases of child kidnapping and illegal detention it has committed in other provinces of Samar. She cited the case of Marcel Yanay, 15, and Rose Ann Tursido, 16, cousins from Barangay Paco, Las Navas, Northern Samar who were illegally detained last April 18 by elements of the 19th Infantry Battalion from 8 o’clock in the morning until 2 o’clock in the afternoon. According to reports, the fascist troops held the minors as well as the Rose Ann’s father Resi and her brother Rope while the four were making charcoal.

A previous report stated that their extended family have consistently been harassed and forced to “surrender” to the 19th IB headquarters in Barangay Opong, Catubig, to coerce Marcel’s father and Resi’s brother, Edwar Yanay, to surface and surrender. Edwar has long been a target of the government and military’s surrender campaign based on an unfounded accusation that he is affiliated with the revolutionary movement. Marcel’s brother Emman (also a minor) recently left their home in Paco after having enough of the incessant harassment of the 19th IB troops.

“We do not take lightly this blatant disrespect by the 8th ID to Ka John Paul and his family, their fabricating of lies and the display of his lifeless body like a war trophy. This, along with their harassment of the Yanay family, are proof that each day is another chance for the 8th ID to add to their long list of human rights and international law violations. The people can never find reprieve for these crimes under the reactionary justice system; thus, the NPA in Samar and the entire Eastern Visayas vow to further intensify the armed struggle to attain justice for the victims ofthe 8th ID and the US-Marcos regime’s fascist terrorism,” Manlimbasog ended.