The Arnulfo Ortiz Command (AOC) of the New People’s Army in Western Samar acknowledged responsibility for the attempt last November 18 to impose capital punishment on Aran Boller, former mayor of Matuguinao town in the province. The AOC also condemned Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) President Rodrigo Duterte for the state of worsening militarization in the country by sending more troops to the province allegedly because of “lawless violence,” asserting that government troops are the ones guilty of such because of rampant military and police violations of human rights and international humanitarian law.

According to the NPA’s provincial command, “The special operations group of the AOC attempted to carry out the decision of the people’s court to impose the death penalty on Aran Boller, ex-mayor of Matuguinao, who managed to escape justice. Boller was found guilty as the criminal mastermind behind the series of unsolved killings and other acts of reactionary violence in the town. He is the coddler of vicious goons such as those known as “Laloy,” “Luis,” “Ombo” and “Bobby” who recruit other counterrevolutionaries and bad elements to swell their ranks. They are also used by Boller in his dirty politics such as threatening and even killing his political opponents and their supporters. These goons were behind the murders of the following persons as ordered by the ex-mayor:

• Matuguinao Mayor Carlos de la Cruz (before the 2010 elections)
• Boboy Cagumoc
• Barangay Chairman Otot Obiado
• Bodoc Coretche
• Otoy Micol and Janito “Janing” Micol
• ABC President Yurbit Diaz
• Alfredo “Idag” Diaz
• Vicente “Beti” Sorio
• Janito “Toranay” Diaz
• Isaac Durian

“Boller is also identified as behind seven other killings, including that of two barangay officials. He is also involved in the frustrated murders of Mario Floquencio and his child, as well as of Miguel Bartolo.”

The NPA likewise said that Boller is also a member of the Intelligence Service of the AFP who is active in the government campaign for the fake surrenders of civilians who previously joined the NPA or else are sought by the military.

The Arnulfo Ortiz Command pointed out that Boller’s crimes show that the real “lawless violence” is committed by reactionary officials like the ex-mayor and the military and police who coddle him. The NPA-Western Samar provincial command said the People’s Army on the other hand respects human rights and international humanitarian law. The Arnulfo Ortiz Command furthermore slammed Duterte for equating death squads with NPA partisans. “The NPA operatives are duly authorized by the people’s court and observe due process under the revolutionary justice system, while the Duterte regime’s military and police violate even their own reactionary laws as well as international humanitarian law through mass killings like ‘Tokhang’ against the urban poor and in bombardments and summary executions as well as other atrocities predominantly against the rural poor under the Oplan Kapayapaan ‘counterinsurgency’ campaign.”#