Highest tribute and red salute to NPA-Negros spokesperson Ka Juanito Magbanua

In the strongest terms, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemns the 94th Infantry Battalion and the 303rd Brigade for the summary execution of Ka Juanito Magbanua (Romeo Nanta), spokesperson of the New People’s Army-Negros Island.

Due to hypertension and arthritis, Ka Juanito was forced to detach from an NPA unit and stay behind in Sitio Medel, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental. He was subdued and captured by the fascist troops of the AFP, tortured and subsequently killed extrajudicially last Monday afternoon.

Ka Juanito was hors de combat or not in a position to do battle. He should have been declared a prisoner of war and accorded his rights under the Protocols I of the Geneva Conventions. Instead, he was unlawfully killed on orders of officers of the 3rd ID and 303rd IBde. Four shots were heard by residents at around 5:45 p.m. as he was murdered by enemy troops.

The killing of Ka Juanito is a gross violation of international humanitarian law. It was carried out in line with the AFP’s despicable policy of “take no prisoners” and killing of revolutionaries. The murder of unarmed revolutionaries who are hors de combats, non-combatants or civilians, blatantly violate the laws of war is being carried out by the AFP and PNP with impunity.

We join the demand for justice for Ka Juanito and all other victims of state terrorism. The Party and the NPA will not tire in working to attain revolutionary justice and punish the fascist criminals.

The Party and the entire Filipino people pay the highest tribute and give the firmest red salute to Ka Juanito Magbanua. Ka Juanito dedicated more than 25 years of his life to the Filipino people’s cause for national and social liberation. The CPP extends its sympathies to Ka Juanito’s family, to the cadres of the Party and Red fighters of the NPA in Negros.

As spokesperson of the NPA in Negros, and one of the leading cadres of the Party in the island, Ka Juanito was indefatigable in advancing the interests of the sugarcane workers and poor peasants in the vast haciendas, as well as workers and other oppressed and exploited masses. He also effectively represented the entire Party and NPA as he gave interviews to the media.

Up until his death, Ka Juanito was gravely concerned with the hardships and suffering of the people of Negros, especially, those in the barangays of Himamaylan City, were at least 15,000 poor peasants have been forced by the military to evacuate their communities to impose a “no man’s land” and “shoot on sight” policy. Poor peasants and farm workers are being terrorized by continuous artillery shelling, and aerial strafing, and are subjected to grave abuses as the military takes over control of their communities.

The enemy gloats of having killed Ka Juanito and declares it a “victory”, obscuring the fact that he was murdered in cold-blood by cowardly troops. The AFP are weaving a web of lies and generating noise in an attempt to drown the Filipino people’s mounting clamor to put a stop to the abuses and crimes being perpetrated by the armed state forces in the course of its brutal counterinsurgency war.

We declare Ka Juanito a hero of the Filipino people. His life of revolutionary service will forever inspire the people of Negros and the entire country to persevere in their fight for national democracy.

Highest tribute and red salute to NPA-Negros spokesperson Ka Juanito Magbanua