The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is highly despicable for citing among its “achievements” three recent cases of massacres against unarmed civilians as well as other war crimes. The AFP made these claims in their statement today in a futile attempt to dishearten the revolutionary forces.

To cover up these military and police crimes, the AFP repeatedly makes false public claims that the victims were killed in encounters where none actually took place.

Tandag City Massacre. The AFP falsely claims that three NPA fighters were killed in Tandag City last October 31. In truth, the three are residents of Barangay Pangi, namely Maco Cagaran Maitom, 50, Freddie Miyarez Zamora, 42 and Paulino Perez Maitom Jr., 23, who were separately picked up at their homes and later brought to the mountains where they were killed by the fascist troops of the 36th IB.

Lake Sebu Massacre. The AFP also made false claims that five NPA fighters were killed when they “resisted arrest” last December 2 in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato. There was actually no firefight. The three civilians and two hors de combat NPA staff members were killed in cold-blood.

Baras Massacre. Claims by the AFP that five NPA fighters were killed in another “arrest operation” by the 2nd ID are also false. The five, in fact, are local farmworkers who tended to a mango orchard. They were identified by their neighbors as Carlito Zonio, Vilma Salabao, Wesley Obmerga, Jonathan Alberga and Niño Alberga.

It is also atrocious that the AFP cites among its achievements the extrajudicial killing of revolutionary leaders Julius Giron, Eugenia Magpantay, Agaton Topacio and Alvin Luque who were all unarmed when killed in cold-blood in early morning operations and who all are described to have “resisted arrest.”

There are growing number of cases of massacres and extrajudicial killings perpetrated by military and police forces under orders of Duterte and his National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).