The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today denounced the indiscriminate firing of the 2nd Infantry Battalion in Dimasalang, Masbate on the afternoon of January 19. Farmer and former village official Marcial Detalo, 61, was hit from behind as soldiers fired shots in Sitio Balunos, Barangay Rizal.

Immediately after its crime, the 2nd IB through its commander Lt. Col. Dennis Santos concocted a story that Detalo was wounded by a stray bullet from the New People’s Army (NPA) during a supposed 5-minute firefight in the village.

“The residents of Barangay Rizal are outraged over the crime perpetrated by the soldiers of the 2nd IB,” CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena remarked. “They are infuriated over how the commander of the 2nd IB lied through his and peddled concocted stories to the media.”

The revolutionary peasant group Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid (PKM)-Masbate reported that the 2nd IB deployed additional troops in the village the night of the incident. In an attempt to further cover-up its crime, the 2nd IB “assisted” and brought their victim to the Masbate Provincial Hospital for medical treatment.

The PKM-Masbate further said that the military unit called for a compulsory meeting among residents the following morning where they admitted to committing the crime and threatened residents against exposing it to the public. The PKM is an allied organization of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP),

Despite threats, angry residents went on social media to belie the news release of the 2nd IB. They bombarded the Facebook post with comments condemning the lies and distortion of facts by the military unit.

“The people of Masbate are clearly fed up with the drama of the 2nd IB. They know the truth and they demand justice,” Valbuena added. “The Party expresses its solidarity with the people of Barangay Rizal as they defend their rights and demand accountability from the 2nd IB for its crimes against the people.”

“This crime committed by the 2nd IB in Barangay Rizal is only the latest case of military violence directed against civilians by the Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) across Masbate,” said Valbuena. “The fascist soldiers of the AFP has committed a string of fascist crimes to terrorize the people and suppress their resistance to land grabbing by big landlords and mining companies.”

Valbuena further called on the people to unite, expose and demand an end to de facto martial law in the province as well as in different parts of the country.