NDFP slams Army for farmer’s slay

By Juan Escandor Jr. NAGA CITY --- Tagged as fake news, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) slammed the statement of Capt. Joash Pramis, Army’s 9th Infantry Division (ID) spokesperson, that government soldiers killed a member of the New People’s Army in an encounter with Army soldiers in Capalonga, Camarines Norte last week. In a statement sent to Bicol Mail, Carlito Calida, spokesperson of Armando Catapia Command of the NPA in Camarines Norte, said Pramis’ statement that Army soldiers killed an unidentified NPA rebel and confiscated M16 rifle, three magazines and backpack with personal belongings “is a huge lie.” Pramis did not respond to the Bicol Mail’s two text messages when asked for reaction regarding the claim of Calida that what the Army soldiers killed was a farmer suspected as member of the NPA. “There was no encounter between the Philippine Army and any unit of the Armando Catapia Command of the New People’s Army in Camarines Norte. This was also refuted by the residents of Barangay Itok (in Capalonga, Camarines Norte),” Calida said. He said they investigated that the farmer killed has surname of Obina who was executed by elements of 9th ID under certain Sgt. Hernandez. “This act of violence is part of the unjust all-out war under the bogus Oplan Kapayapaan (Operation Peace) of the Duterte regime. According to the revolutionary newspaper Ang Bayan, since the declaration of Oplan Ka­pa­ya­pa­an, a minimum of 3 farmers per week have been slain by the state’s armed forces,” Calida claimed. He portrayed the present administration as “fascist government” which “has complete disregard of the lives of innocent civilians” and execute civilians after imputing false accusation as “part of the terrorist mode of operations of the Philippine Army to instill fear in the common people.” Meanwhile, three days after the Army soldiers allegedly killed a farmer in Camarines Norte, the NPA rebels killed in an ambush and wounded members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit in Barangay Lanipga-Cawayan, Ragay, Camarines Sur. A wife of one Cafgu member was also wounded in the ambush that happened at about 9 a.m., the police report said. The fatality of the ambush was identified as Norbert M. Sabarisa and Cafgu member Rey P. Barrientos and wife Versabe were wounded. Both Sabarisa and Barrientos are assigned in Casay Cafgu detachment in Lupi, Camarines Sur. The wounded Barrientos couple were rushed to the Ragay District Hospital and later transferred to the Bicol Medical Center in Naga City. Recovered from the ambush scene were four pieces of empty shells of M16; two pieces of live bullet for M14; and one live bullet for M16, according to the police report.