“History shows that the state’s army and police officers are plagued by a culture of machismo, fascism, corruption, and a lack of respect for international humanitarian law. We remember names like Jovito Palparan, Hermogenes Esperon, Eduardo Año, Debold Sinas, Jonel Nuezca, among others.”
The National Democratic Front in Negros (NDF-Negros) said peace consultant and poet Ericson Acosta and peasant organizer Joseph Jimenez were stabbed and hacked, belying claims of the military that the two died during gun fight in Kabankalan City last Nov. 30.
NDF-Negros spokesperson Bayani Obrero said in a statement that Acosta and a companion were captured alive at around two o’clock in the morning of November 30 but were announced as casualties in a “fake encounter” a few hours later.
“Under International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention, Raca is a prisoner of war and hors de combat, by virtue of her being under the custody of the Marines,” Karapatan-ST said in a statement. “She has rights that should be ensured by the authorities that currently have her.”
Karapatan ST is calling for the release of all remains to give them “justice and a decent burial, in accordance with the international humanitarian law.”
“No mother would renounce a child who set aside her personal interests to offer her life for the people and for the defense of our ancestral land.”
State-approved bloodlust has resulted in grief for families of victims and profit for those who engage in bloody business. Out of all of Duterte’s campaign promises, it seems his challenge to “put up more funeral parlors” was the one that became true.
Under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, Caraig’s rights as hors de combat were violated.
“Instead of mourning for our loved ones, we feel spiteful at the police officers who are denying the remains of our loved ones.” By JUSTIN UMALI Bulatlat.com SANTA ROSA, Laguna – Elements of the Philippine National Police have taken the remains of three suspected members of the revolutionary New People’s Army to Camp Vicente Lim,…
“When he was arrested in the hospital as hors de combat (out of action due to injury or damage) he should have been clear from any legal obligation.” By JUSTIN UMALI Bulatlat.com MANILA – The spokesperson for the New People’s Army Melito Glor Command in the Southern Tagalog region was arrested in San Juan, Metro…
Since 2017 peasants and peasant women in Northern Samar have complained of extra-judicial killings, military encampment in public schools and in barangays, forcible mass evacuation affecting 2,423 victims, illegal arrest and detention, series of aerial bombing, psywar and surveillance, destruction of properties, sexual harassment and others.