Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Statement of the NDF-Negros on the admission of DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that the suspected murderers of Bayles are members of the 61st IB Phil A

Statement of the NDF-Negros on the admission of DND Secretary Voltaire Gazmin that the suspected murderers of Bayles are members of the 61st IB Phil Army.*


Frank Fernandez
Spokesperson
National Democratic Front-Negros
October 13, 2010

We welcome the statement of Congressman Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna partylist in an interview by DYEZ radio informing of the admission of DND secretary Voltaire Gazmin, AFP spokesperson Jose Mabanta and the head general of CRS-AFP during the October 7 budget hearing of the plenary session of the Philippine House of Representatives that the suspected murderers of Benjamin Bayles -- PFC Reygine Laus alyas "Roger Bajon" and Ronnie Caurino (PFC Rafael Cordova) were active members of the 61st IB PA.

This admission by Sec Gazmin and military officials only confirms the belief of the people on the truth behind the cases of extra-judicial killings that victimized not only Benjamin Bayles but also the latest victim Rene Quirante murdered by troops of the 11th IB last October 1, 2010 and other past victims in Negros and the whole country.

The high officials of the reactionary government and AFP was forced to admit because of the strong political pressure of the people and churches in the country and the international community that condemned the crimes of the Phil Army and demanded justice. Because of the gathering of solid evidences against the two criminal elements of the 61st IB PA, Sec Gazmin and top military officials of the AFP can no longer maintain the state of denial on the murder of Bayles and blame this on "CPP-NPA internal purge." They also believe that their admission on one specific murder case is enough to lead the people on the sweet rhetorics of P-Noy on his "stand for truth" and "daang matuwid" and forget the more than 10 victims of extra-judicial killings under Aquino and the more than 1,000 under Arroyo.

Despite the official statement of their superiors, the officers of the 3rd ID and the 61st IB PA earlier denied that the two using the alias "Roger Bajon" and "Ronnie Caurino" are their personnels. Their continuing denial means that they haven't receive yet the official instruction from the AFP chief Ricardo David and DND Sec Voltaire Gazmin that they must admit the two criminals as members of the Phil Army.

The statement of Sec Gazmin and other top officials of the AFP admitting "Roger Bajon" and "Ronnie Caurino" as members of the AFP is NOT ENOUGH! To give justice to the victims of extra-judicial killings they must order the court martial not just of the two criminal soldiers but also the masterminds and those who give the orders to kill Benjamin Bayles, Rene Quirante and all the victims of extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearnces in the country.

We challenge Sec Gazmin and General David to arrest, put on trial and punish the high ranking officials in a military court those responsible for the extra-judicial killings in Negros like Gen Ralph Villanueva of the Central Command AFP-Visayas, Maj Gen Vicente Porto, Col Maximo Caro, Brig Gen Josue Gaverza, Col Cesar Yano, Col Manuel Luis Ochotorena, Lt Col Ricardo Bayhon and Lt Col Ramil Bitong. They must also order the arrest and filing of cases of crimes against humanity on Jovito Palparan and other military officials that gave orders to implement components of Oplan Bantay Laya on extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearnces and application of tortures against progressive leaders and activists.

NDF-Negros is informing the people that the People's Revolutionary Court of Negros has issued warrant of arrests for Maj Gen Vicente Porto, Col Maximo Caro, Brig Gen Josue Gaverza, Col Cesar Yano, Col Manuel Luis Ochotorena, Lt Col Ricardo Bayhon and Lt Col Ramil Bitong. There is also an order from the revolutionary court to all operational commands and unit command of the NPA in all levels to arrest the suspected criminal officers so they will face the cases filed by the people through the Democratic Coalition Government based in the countrysides. The regional revolutionary court of Negros has already sent a copy of the warrant of arrest to the Military Commission of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines and territorial sub-military commissions and commands of the NPAs in other regions to enforce the arrest of the suspects in any place in the Philippines.

* Url:http://theprwcblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/statement-of-ndf-negros-on-admission-of.html