Guihulngan City – Human rights group HUSTISYA Guihilngan refutes the AFP’s claim that there has been an encounter with the NPA and kills one fighter yesterday, August 14, saying in a statement that there was no encounter instead the 62nd Infantry Batallion killed a civilian and harassed others in Sitio Maluy-a, Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City.

Lea Nellis, HUSTISYA Guihulngan spokesperson, said that elements of 62nd IB ransacked the house of Delia Carahasan Tenianu, 55-year old farmer, married where the troops rummaged through their clothes and pile of corn. Right after, the troops fired a gun near her ear which left her traumatized.

Reken Remasog, 24, married with a 9-month old son, was shot dead by the troops and left his lifeless body with amputated legs and other evidence of physical violence. His younger brother, Reniel Remasog, 17 was arrested together with two other minors Meriam, 17 and Mary Ann, 15 who were at the same place because the latter were charging their celphones and to get a better phone signal. The arrested were brought to CAFGU detachment in Brgy. Sandayao.

Nellis added in a statement, “Base sa gilunsad nga pagpang-usisa sa HUSTISYA sa mao nga lugar, si Rekem ug Reniel Remasog mga residente sang brgy. Luz, Guihulngan City, bag-o nibalhin og puyo sa Sitio Maluy-a tungod sa grabe nga kahadlok sa gihimo sa ilaha sa ilang lugar nga gigikanan. Niadtong bulan sa Marso gipatawag sila sa 62nd IBPA sa balay sa ilang kapitan sa baryo ug giimbistiga sa nahitabong ambush niadtong Marso 3, 2020, 2 ka adlaw human sa pagpatawag kanila, dunay unom ka tawo nga nisaka sa ilang balay nga nakabonet ug wala nailhan sa ilang mga silingan, pagkabulan sa Mayo, gisunog ang ilang balay sa mga gisupetsuhan nga mga katapu sa 62nd IBPA uban sa ilang mga asset sakop sa Brgy. Luz nga nailhan sa mga lumulupyo. Kini amo ang hinungdan nga nibalhin sila og puyo sa Sitio Maluy-a tungod sa tuman nga kahadlok.”

(Based on HUSTISYA’s fact-finding in the said area, Rekem and Reniel Remasog were residents of Brgy. Luz, Guihulngan City, before they transferred to stay in Sito Maluy-a because of extreme fear on what happened to them from where they came from. Last March, they were called by the 62nd IBPA in the house of the barangay captain to investigate on the March 3 ambush. Two days after they were called, around 6 unidentified people with bonnet came to their house and by May their house was burned by suspected elements of 62nd IBPA together with some of their assets in Brgy. Luz who were identified by the residents. This is the reason why they transferred to Sitio Maluy-a because of great fear.)

Leonardo Panaligan Command Central Negros Guerilla Front on their website also denouced the AFP’s fake encounter and its attack on the civilians “for fabricating a fake armed encounter between the NPA and AFP in Sitio Maluy-a, Brgy Sandayao, Guihulngan City. The AFP’s retaliatory acts are being vented out against innocent civilians, prompting even more to join the armed struggle for a just and lasting peace.”

Ka JB Regalado, spokesperson of the LPC-NPA, said that ” the NPA ambushed the AFP in Sitio Tabago (around 2 kilometers away from Sitio Maluy-a which takes 1 hour on foot) from the same barangay, leaving at least 10 troops killed-in-action while NPA safely maneuvered away from the encounter site, with no casualty. The helicopters were in fact an affirmation that they were rushing to cover-up the fatalaties.”

HUSTISYA Central Negros is calling on the Commission on Human Rights to investigate on the human rights violations happening in Guihulngan City and to take action on the elements of the military involved in these crimes. The humand rights group also calls on to various sectors and groups to show their support on the victims of injustice.

In other reports, AFP says that the encounter in Sitio Maluy-a, Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City left 1 NPA killed and one of the troops wounded. According to 303rd Brigade Commander Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, the military just responded to an information of rebels presence in Brgy. Sandayao, who are allegedly in the area for food from the residents.