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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Army general, activists still trade barbs over deadly NPA attack

Army general, activists still trade barbs over deadly NPA attack

Published Dec 10, 2021 01:53 pm

ILOILO CITY — Despite the commemoration of Human Rights Day, an army general and members of the left-leaning Bayan Panay are still engaged in a word war over the attack that killed at least nine New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Miag-ao town, Iloilo province.

Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commanding general of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), slammed Bayan Panay for allegedly becoming the NPA’s spokespersons.

“The NPA has spokespersons. Why are they speaking on behalf of the NPA?” Arevalo pointed out in a phone interview with Manila Bulletin.

This was after left-leaning activists is calling for an independent investigation on the aerial bombing and ground bombing by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last December 1.

They have accused the military of using excessive force as well as putting at risk the civilian population in Barangay Alimodias.

“The good general should answer the demands for investigation and not resort to under-handed counter accusations as he made against Bayan Panay,” said Reylan Vergara, the secretary general of Panay Alliance Karapatan.

“This is a weak defense for the AFP’s indiscriminate aerial bombing and violation of the international humanitarian law,” Vergara added.

On his part, Arevalo reiterated that the AFP’s attack was justified since it thwarted a major possible attack against the military or even civilians.

The military has been bracing for a major attack by the NPA as part of the upcoming 53rd anniversary of its political wing the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on December 26.

Meanwhile, Arevalo said that the 3ID is “in one with human rights advocates in upholding and protecting the dignity and rights of every individual”.

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