In pursuit of “11 NPA remnants in Northern Negros,” AFP’s #DiMasaligan79IB drops over 10 bombs on a portion of Trangkal Range in Sitio Mansulao, Barangay Pinapugasan, Escalante City, Negros Occidental commencing at 6am until 9am today, February 22. This was reported today as a third encounter between Red fighters and #DiMasaligan79IB within the said perimeter.

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-Northern Negros Guerrilla Front of the New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) condemns the grossly inhuman bombing and denounces the Philippine Army for using its fake encounter script to again whitewash its crimes. We reiterate: no firefight took place between the two armed groups this morning.

In their utter display of mercenary arrogance, #DiMasaligan79IB wantonly drops bombs without prejudice to civilians living within the vicinity, in which the explosion can be heard kilometers away from the site. This is utter violation of international humanitarian law and human rights law.

We may recall that a similar bombing incident took place at Sitio Mansulao, Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental, portion of the Trangkal Range, on March 20, 2022 where at least five bombs were dropped. Again, no unit of the NPA was within the area during the time.

The public can also recall the Himamaylan bombing last June 2021 and October 2022 guised as hot pursuit operations against Red fighters when the local NPA unit denied that it was a legitimate encounter, but merely a bombing frenzy of the military.

Bombings and other fascist measures by the AFP are typical of a reactionary state with Marcos Jr as commander-in-chief who displays utter negligence to his duty to protect the people against skyrocketing prices of commodities, ‘libing’ wages, among others.

So long as US imperialism, backed by big compradors and local landlords, as well as, bureaucrat capitalists, control the nation, fascist state instruments, such as the AFP/PNP, come handy to suppress all those who call for national liberation and genuine democracy.###