DOWNLOADCommunist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-Negros newsletter Ang Paghimakas published a special report today tackling militarization and the human rights situation on the island in the first quarter of the year.

It gave details on 55 cases of human rights violations on the island within the first quarter of the year that affected not less than 5,000 individuals, mostly farmers and farm workers.

These violations were categorized into extrajudicial killings; illegal detention; bombing; threats, harassment and intimidation; physical assault; surveillance; coercion; and violation of rights of hors de combat.

According to the revolutionary publication, the military also occupied homes, churches, and public infrastructures like schools, health centers and barangay gyms.

Wherever there is a concentration of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) troops, there are also human rights violations, it’s report stated.

According to the report, not less than 300 to 400 military troops were employed at a time by the Philippine Army during its massive combat operations in farmer communities of Negros.

These were monitored in three cities and six towns in Negros Occidental namely Himamaylan City, Kabankalan City and Sipalay City, and Toboso, Calatrava, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan and Cauayan.

Meanwhile, massive focused military operations were also noted in two cities and six towns in Negros Oriental specifically the cities of Guihulngan and Canlaon, and the towns of Vallehermoso, La Libertad, Ayungon, Sibulan, Siaton and Santa Catalina.

Ang Paghimakas raised the alarm on the intensifying brutality and atrocities perpetrated by the AFP, PNP and National Task Force (NTF)-Elcac and suffered by Negrosanons almost a year into Marcos Jr’s assumption of power especially because it already recorded 178 cases of human rights violations on the island in Marcos Jr’s first six months.

Militarization is the answer of the inutile regime to the people’s demands for livable wage, genuine land reform, adequate social services, genuine peace and social justice, it’s report said.

The AFP/PNP induces martial law-like conditions aggravating the economic crisis confronting the people that generated inflation and skyrocketing prices of basic goods while wages remain cheap, it added.

Ang Paghimakas also pointed out that Negrosanons are also burdened by the effects of neoliberal attacks such as importation of sugar and rice and other agricultural products, privatization of public services like water and power, and oil deregulation.

It remarked that the situation further worsened because of unending corruption of those in power who are in league with Marcos Jr, and him wasting the people’s money through luxurious travels abroad. ###

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Ang Paghimakas was first published in the last quarter of 1972 to condemn Marcos’ Martial Law and show the resistance of the people. Now released in hiligaynon, with english and bisaya translations of its editorial, it can be downloaded through its website, www.negrosrevportal.wordpress. com, and CPP’s national website, philippinerevolution. nu.