The New People’s Army – Rodante Urtal Command (NPA-Northern Samar) exposed today the series of fake encounters staged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the province during the last quarter of 2022.

“No honor is left of the AFP. It persists on spitting poisonous lies and staging coverups on the overkill bombing and massacres it has launched against the people and its Red army in the province over the past months,” Amado Pesante, Spokesperson of NPA-RUC said.

Pesante refers to the November 23 aerial bombing in Barangay Imelda, Las Navas, Northern Samar. In the statements released by the AFP, they made noise about the incident as an “encounter against a large force of the NPA” to smokescreen the barbarity and disproportionate use of force by its fascist-terrorist forces.

The NPA-RUC flatly denies any encounter that happened on November 23. Based on initial information, the AFP’s fighter jets dropped aerial bombs in the area and launched at least 50 counts of artillery shelling in Barangay Imelda from 1:30 until 5:30 in the morning. This cowardly, superfluous, and terrorist attack martyred six of our comrades from a small-sized unit without the benefit of arm’s fight. This is not even to mention the trauma it has caused to a wide range of civilian population and the mass destruction against peasant livelihood and the environment.

Pesante also condemned the gross disrespect and insult it has displayed against the dead Red fighters. Contrary to 8th Infantry Division’s publicity gimmick that they afforded “decent burial” to the fallen guerillas, the AFP stripped off the clothes and paraded the dead bodies in Las Navas poblacion as if they were “war trophies” to further terrorize the people, frighten them to inactivity, and subdue their resistance.

“The fascist immorality of the AFP who could not even afford their adversaries the opportunity to rest in dignity and peace is a violation of international humanitarian law and the AFP’s own code of conduct. In its bombing spree, the AFP grossly violated provisions on the proportionate use of force against opponent forces under the international humanitarian law, as well as those protecting the rights of hors de combat and civilian communities surrounding the site of the attack,” Pesante said.

Other fake encounters

The same fascist overkill was also committed in Barangay San Isidro (Logging), Las Navas, Northern Samar on November 11. The 8th ID released statements making it appear that a firefight transpired in the area which killed one Red fighter. Truth is, the military used its terrorist machines to bomb the area several times to stage a fake encounter with the 3rd Infantry Battalion.

On November 18, the terrorist combat force of the 43rd Infantry Battalion massacred an entire civilian family in Kilometro 9, Barangay Happy Valley, San Isidro, Northern Samar. They were later falsely presented by the AFP as NPA fighters who died in an encounter.

On October 1, the AFP indiscriminately launched at least 25 counts of artillery shelling using 105mm and 155mm howitzer in the farmlands of Barangay Paco, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

“The systematic disinformation campaign of the fascist terrorist AFP is meant to hide the desperation and unprecedented level of monstrosity by which they conduct their military operations as well as their callous disregard against the civilians.”

“We greet the new year with revolutionary enthusiasm on the occasion of the 54th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. As we honor all the martyrs of the revolution, the NPA-RUC renews its vow to continue fighting the unjust and brazen aggression of the AFP under the fascist terrorist US-Marcos regime,” Pesante ended.