Massive PNP/10th ID-AFP combat operations in Davao
inflict serious rights violations on civilians;
abusive troops hit in NPA punitive actions*
Simon Santiago,
Political Director
Regional Political Department,
NPA-Southern Mindanao
January 21, 2011
Combined Philippine National Police and 10th Infantry Division-AFP forces in massive combat operations in Davao hinterlands inflict continuing rights violations against residents in Paquibato District in Davao City. These brutal fascist operations deceptively peddled as 'peace and development' missions under the US-Aquino regime's anti-people Oplan 'Bayanihan' were hit in a series of NPA punitive actions in the villages of Barangays Lumiad, Paradise Embac, and Guinobatan, all in Paquibato District, Davao City.
On January 10, 5:30 pm, a sapper team from the Amoran Saripada Command-Front 52 Operations Command-NPA (ASC-NPA) exploded a command-detonated explosive and sprayed with volume fire the attacking troops belonging to the 69th IB-AFP, 72nd IB-AFP-Cafgu, SAF-PNP and the paramilitary Bahani Long Range Platoon (BLRP) in Sitio Riverside, Barangay Lumiad;
On January 16, 6 pm, a team from the ASC-NPA harassed the 69th IB-AFP-Cafgu Patrol Base in Barangay Paradise Embac;
On January 18, 3 am, a commando squad of the 1st Pulang Bagani Company-NPA ambushed in Sitio Guinobatan, Barangay Paquibato Proper the joint forces of the 69th IB-AFP, the newly deployed Special Action Force of the Philippine National Police and the BLRP (or the Alamara vigilante group) of 10th ID-AFP Confidential Agent and tribal dealer Ruben Labawan. Four fascist combatants were killed on the spot (three from the 10th ID-AFP and one from the BLRP) while nine were wounded (five from the SAF-PNP and four from the 10th ID-AFP).
These series of NPA actions were launched to punish the military and police forces for their fascism and brutality against the masses in Davao City’s Paquibato District.
At 1 am, January 10, a large contingent of about 400 troops from the joint forces of the 69th IB-AFP, 72nd IB-AFP-Cafgu, SAF-PNP and the BLRP swooped down on Barangays Lumiad and Mapula in Paquibato in an attempt to encircle and entrap the NPA unit the military claimed to have encamped in the area. They held a number of Sitio Riverside residents and accused them as NPA supporters. They ransacked three houses, destroyed properties and stole their belongings. BLRP/Alamara forces threatened to kill those civilians being held; and interrogated the rest of Sitio Riverside residents.
Lt. Col. Aniano Orap-Orap, the 69th IB-AFP commander, feigned innocence about the early dawn AFP combat operation from media inquiries and denied his operating troops were hit in the January 10 NPA harassment operation later in the afternoon. In their desperation to show some measure of success against the NPA, the enemy concocted a tale about "overrunning" an NPA camp and spread the ridiculous story about Red fighters fighting against each other. The military also presented three dud command-detonated explosives they have recovered in the area.
The massive 10th ID-AFP-PNP combat operations (whose forward deployment was also done even during the holiday ceasefire) have only inflicted sufferings on the masses in Paquibato:
a) Forcible arming of residents in Sitio Damilag in Barangay Mapula under Datu Fermin Lausan; and coercing them to fight against the NPA;
b) Civilian authorities harassed; fascist troops ordered a Barangay Paradise village official to threaten residents about their fascist intention of bombarding with cannon fire the vicinity of Barangay Manipis and Purok New Ginobatan in Barangay Paquibato Proper;
c) Since January 13, grave threats, harassments and intimidation done by fascists on Paquibato residents have affected the livelihood of at least 40 families in these areas. Fearing the military's brutality heightened by the continuing grave threats, the residents were not able to attend to their farms. A farmer who was only picking kaimito fruits at his backyard was fired upon by 69th IB-AFP troops;
d) Barangay Pandaitan farmer-resident Oming Tiokas was mauled by a 10th ID-AFP soldier on January 21.
These continuing abuses of fascist troops and their grave violations to international humanitarian law further exposed the deceptions of the "peace and development" rhetoric of the AFP under the regime's Oplan 'Bayanihan.' The series of NPA punitive actions should serve as strong warning to abusive troops as well as a handful of tribal dealers who do the 10th ID-AFP's bidding that their transgressions against the people will not go unpunished. Like the failed Oplan Bantay Laya, Oplan 'Bayanihan' shall miserably fail to stop the advance of the people's war.
* Url:http://theprwcblogs.blogspot.com/2011/01/massive-pnp10th-id-afp-combat.html
