KIDAPAWAN
CITY, North
Cotabato – In the spirit of
Bayanihan, the Philippine Army is geared on protecting the Filipino people and
defending the nation with other stakeholders on equal foot. However, with the deception of NPA rebels,
the fight for peace and development is hindered and prevented.
In
the recent NPA atrocity last October 21, 2013, Monday, personnel of the 38th
Infantry Battalion were on their way to Barangay Bacong, Tulunan, North
Cotabato to distribute the subsistence allowance of the Citizen Armed Force
Geographical Units (CAFGUs) when members of the criminal armed group New
People’s Army treacherously detonated a landmine that instantly rendered the
personnel of 38th Infantry Battalion incapable to fight in Sitio Manggi,
Barangay Bituan, Tulunan, North Cotabato, one of the declared peace zones in
Tulunan, at around 9:10 in the morning.
However, the NPA even peppered our wounded troops with bullets even on
their faces.
The
same atrocity occurred at Purok 2, Barangay Luna Norte, Makilala at about
11:25am to the reinforcing troops of the 57th Infantry Battalion, wherein the
landmine was within the immediate vicinity of the civilian population, which
could harm civilians and non-combatants.
In
a press statement of the NDF, the group directly acknowledged their criminal
act justifying their deceitful actions.
With these two heinous crimes of the NPA, nine families lost a father
and a provider of the families’ daily need.
They even hid to the public the robbery they committed during their
attack. They robbed the families of the
CAFGUs a total amount of P2,135,430.00, which was intended to provide the daily
needs of about 753 CAFGUs’ families.
During a press conference held at Kidapawan City this Saturday
morning, Honorable Rudy Caoagdan, Municipal Mayor of Makilala said, “We seriously
condemn the violent acts of the New People’s Army that endanger the lives of
the people. These atrocities should be
put to a stop. They do not contribute to
the peace and development of our nation and they jeopardize our economic
progress, and worst, they destroy the people’s only source of living by burning
and destroying developmental projects and business establishments.”
From
2010 to date, the NPA has deliberately harmed a total of 471 civilians and
military personnel through detonation of landmines in eastern Mindanao
alone. Among these are 75 civilian
casualties, with 27 killed and 48 wounded, while the military suffered 396
casualties, with 109 killed and 287 wounded.
The
Comprehensive Agreement on Respect to Human Rights and International Humanitarian
Law (CARHRIHL) protects civilians, non-combatants and hors de combat or those
soldiers who are wounded and rendered incapable to fight. But the NPA has no regard to the signed
agreement of the National Democratic Front and the Communist Party and even
disregarded the plea of the wounded soldiers who couldn’t fight anymore.
“The
10th Infantry Division vehemently condemns the acts of the criminal
group New People’s Army in using landmines, robbery and their explicit
violation of CARHRIHL, that endanger the lives of civilians and
non-combatants. This likewise manifests
the armed group’s utter disregard for human rights and International
Humanitarian Law as they continue to defy the international ban on the use of
landmines”, said Major General Ariel Bernardo, Commander of the 10th
Infantry Division.
“With
the Bayanihan efforts of all peace loving stakeholders, we can give justice to our
fallen troops and to those victims of the atrocities of the New People’s Army”,
Major General Bernardo added.