The National Democratic Front (NDF) condemned the killing of four members of the Fausto family in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, and called government soldiers “child killers”.
The NDF Special Office for the Protection of Children headed by Coni Ledesma, in a statement released Tuesday, June 20, alleged that government soldiers were behind the killings, which is a “blatant violation of rights of the child and special protections under the international humanitarian law”.
Rolly and Emilda Fausto including their two minor children Ben, 15, and Raben, 11, were killed in their residence in Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, on June 14.
“Child rights violations have sharply increased under the Marcos II regime with reports of kidnappings, threats, forced evacuation, violence and now the murder of two children in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental,” the NDF statement said.
Pining the blame on the New People’s Army (NPA) is an old tired tactic the Armed Forces of the Philippines uses to escape accountability, the NDF statement said.
The Leonardo Panaligan Command of the NPA also condemned the Army for the killing of Fausto family and called on NPA units in Central Negros to conduct tactical offensives to serve justice to the victims.
The Fausto family were members of Baklayan, Bito, Cabagal Farmers Association that had been red-tagged, it claimed.
ARMY DENIAL
The Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade last week denied the accusation of the NPA that government soldiers were behind the massacre.
“The allegations are nothing but an attempt by the desperate NPAs to tarnish the reputation of the Army in the province,” the statement said.
“We assure the public that we are committed to uncovering the truth behind this horrific incident and bringing the perpetrators to justice,” it added.
The Army said Rolly Fausto was negotiating for the surrender of the in-laws of his daughter who are members of the NPA prior to his death.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Monday that he was informed verbally by the police that the persons behind the massacre of the Fausto family in Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, have already been identified.
PCapt. Arturo Margallo Jr., Deputy for Administration of the Himamaylan Police, said that they have already gathered initial information from the witnesses and are waiting for the sworn affidavits from them.*