July 24, 2020 – Four riding-in-tandem shootings have sprung up across the island with no suspects have yet been identified by the authorities.

However, in a Facebook post, the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade has accussed the New People’s Army for the murders in Guihulungan City and violating the Anti-Terrorism Law. Similar Facebook post from Unifier Batallion stating that “a witness for killing a soldier,… Eldeson Martorillas, married and a simple farmer living in Sitio Compound, Brgy Luz, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.”

Human Rights Groups HUSTISYA Guihulngan Chapter Spokesperson Leah Nellis in a statement said that there’s no other culprit but the the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army for harassing and killing civilians, especially peasants, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Last July 1, 2020, four people were allegedly assaulted and harassed by the said division of the Philippine Army in Guihulungan. One of the four who were roughed up, Eldit Marturillas, spoke up about the incident, filed a case against the state forces and was consequently shot dead two weeks later by suspects riding-in-tandem.

Marturillas was interrogated by the army on the eve of July 1st and was asked on the incident about the killing of Corporal Quiocson. Marturillas responded that he is just an ordinary resident and doesn’t know anything as he said in local dialect, “mga pumuloyo raman mi unsa may labot namo ana”. His other companions were also interrogated accompanied by physical assault trying to force them out to speak. His companions just said, “wala mi kakita ana sir kay anang higayuna namuli name!”

Below are the details of the other four incidents that have occurred in just the past week: