To date there are nearly 30 extrajudicial killings in Negros, 169 cases in the whole country, within the two years of Duterte’s term. Most victims are farmers and peasant leaders. Not one has been given justice by the state. Upon the New People’s Army’s (NPA) investigation, most of the killings were traced back to elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). And this is a cause for alarm. This is what Police Regional Office-6 Director Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao must explain to the public instead of his insubstantial remarks against the NPA.

Bulalacao is diverting the issue of human rights violations and extrajudicial killings. Human rights advocates have been quick to expose the harassments, torture, disappearances, illegal arrests and killings in the countryside carried out by the elements of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Brigade, the PNP, their paramilitary troops and even confidential agents. The PNP’s token investigations are disappointing yet expected.

The real traitors are the AFP and PNP who have long been subservient to bureaucrat capitalists, hacienderos and big businesses. Bulalacao’s “enough security forces” in Negros are not meant for the protection of the broad masses but to secure multinational, transnational and big comprador and land lord investments such as Marañon’s business interests in north Negros, big haciendas like that of Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., the Ilog-Hilabangan River Basin Project, Southern Negros Industrial Estate, and mining companies in south Negros.

In truth, without the NPA the people are defenseless. They no longer believe that justice can be found in the current system especially under Duterte. The basic masses recognize the NPA as their true army that launches armed struggle, implements agrarian revolution and builds organs of political power until the victory of the national democratic revolution. The people cherishes and supports the NPA thus its strength advances and its numbers expand.###

Ka Frank Fernandez
Spokesperson
National Democratic Front – Negros