New murders and abductions by the Philippine state
During the past months the repression by the Philippine state has continued, with new abductions of the organised masses and assassinations of guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA), in violation of numerous agreements on human rights.
The three murdered guerrillas were abducted while they were seriously ill in a hospital. Two of them, the marriage Dano and Rosalia Candoy, were forcibly taken away on 26th March. The next day the Armed Forces of the Philippines [AFP] reported that they had been killed in a clash between the AFP and the NPA, a lie to cover up their crimes. A few days later, this massacre continued again with Emmanuel Llanos Anob, who was kidnapped on his way home sick from the hospital, the next day was reported killed by AFP soldiers in a clash.
These actions, and the falsehood behind the death of the guerrillas, are in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the agreements signed between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. This document violates two articles: the need to report the identity, physical condition and circumstances of persons detained in connection with armed conflict, as well as other violation of Human Rights with the own murder.
Also during this time, on 27th March, another abduction and illegal detention by the 59th IB took place, detaining Lloyd Descallar and Alfred Manalo, Sugarfolks Unity volunteers at a medical centre. Lloyd and Manalo were participating in a consultation with sugarcane fishermen and small farmers in Balayan over the closure of the Don Pedro Cooperative Sugar Mill, which will affect their livelihood. Their arrest was not announced and the human rights group, Tanggol Batngan, had to pressure the authorities until they admitted to taking the activists into custody.
Also joining the police coercion in March was the cashier of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), accused of financing the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army.
All these cases during the month of March show the extremely repressive character of the Philippine state, which is waging a campaign against the organised masses and the guerrillas to prevent the advance of the People’s War in the Philippines.
