The 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army welcomes the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) investigation into an encounter that left six dead in Sitio Lubi, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, on Friday, September 22, which the New People’s Army (NPA) claims was a massacre.
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, Army 3ID Public Affairs Office chief, maintained on Monday, September 25, that the six killed in Kabankalan were members of the NPA and the claim that it was massacre is a standard NPA propaganda ploy.
“We are open and we will fully cooperate with any investigation by any party. The result will eventually vindicate us from various allegations of human right violations. We are confident that the encounter was a legitimate encounter. We strictly follow our rules of engagements and our troops are always being reminded to always observe the International Humanitarian Law and the rule of law,” Javines said.
Vincent Parra, CHR-Negros Occidental head, said his office will conduct an investigation this week into the Kabankalan incident that left six dead.
The investigation is being conducted especially since a pregnant woman and an alleged innocent tricycle driver were among the six dead.
The CHR is also investigating the salvaging of two Bacolod residents whose bodies were dumped in Barangay Dulao, Bago City, on Friday, September 22, Parra said.
They will also investigate another salvaging incident in Talisay City, he added.
NPA CLAIM
A statement of the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command of the NPA Southwest Negros Guerrilla Front (ASJC-NPA) on Friday said that the incident in Kabankalan was not an encounter, the 47th Infantry Battalion soldiers massacred their medical personnel, a rebel couple on medical leave, and a tricycle driver.
A statement of the Armando Sumayang Jr. Command of the NPA Southwest Negros Guerrilla Front (ASJC-NPA) on Friday said that the incident in Kabankalan was not an encounter, the 47th Infantry Battalion soldiers massacred their medical personnel, a rebel couple on medical leave, and a tricycle driver.
Ka Andrea Guerrero, ASJC-NPA spokesperson said the noncombatants were on board a hired tricycle and were travelling along Sitio Lubi when the soldiers belonging to the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) suddenly indiscriminately fired on them.
Guerrero identified the six victims as Ka Rekoy (Bobby Pedro), Ka Goring (Mario Mullon) and Ka Joyce (Janice Flores) who were medical personnel of the NPA, Ka Bravo (Alejo delos Reyes) and wife Ka Diane (Melissa dela Peña) who were on-leave as Ka Diane was six months pregnant; and tricycle driver Robin Gaitan.
ARMY’S REPLY
Javines, on the other hand, said it was the group on board the tricycle who open fired on the 47th IB soldiers prompting them to return fire.
He also insisted that all six killed were NPA members with a long record of notoriety in southern Negros.
He alleged that among the crimes they committed were the killing of Pastor Lonie Lahaolahao in Brgy Camindangan, Sipalay City in February 2020, the ambush of two Army personnel in Brgy Yaoyao, Cauayan, in April 2021 and two others in Brgy Camindangan, Sipalay City, in November 2022, and the burning of construction equipment in Brgy Orong, Kabankalan City, and Brgy Camindangan, Sipalay City, in March 2022.
The same group was also responsible for killing Silas Granada, 65, in Brgy Pingot, Ilog, in January this year, and his father over a land dispute, Javines added.*