ILOILO CITY—Left-wing Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Panay has decried the killing of farmer leader in Sibalom town, Antique province earlier this week.
“Another peasant leader was gunned down by suspected state forces disguised as riding-in-tandem,” said Bayan-Panay Deputy Spokesperson Bryan Bosque.
Bosque dentified the victim is Vernel Mondreal, who died from multiple gunshot wounds after gunmen, riding-in-tandem, fired at him last Thursday, January 21.
Mondreal was said to be the head of his village’s human rights desk in Igpanolong village.
His killing came after the arrest of 11 residents and farmers of Igpanolong and two neighboring villages last April 2020 by the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion (61 IB). The 11 were allegedly tagged as members of the New People’s Army (NPA), while Mondreal was the one following up their cases.
Bosque also noted that Mondreal’s death came less than a month after nine members of the indigenous peoples (IPs) Panay Bukidnon were killed in police raids in Tapaz town, Capiz province and Calinog town, Iloilo province. Those killed were also tagged as NPA rebels and NPA supporters after they allegedly resisted arrests for allegedly having in their possessions illegal firearms and explosives.
“We couldn’t let another bloodbath happen again. We appeal to every local government unit and other concerned individuals in Panay Island,” Bosque appealed.