Farmer Jose Gonzales, who had been declared missing since January 8, was killed by the 94th Infantry Battallion in a fake encounter in Sitio MalikolLiko, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan around 6:30 AM on January 9.

Colonel Michael Samson, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade, claims that Gonzales is a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) and that he was killed in an encounter with the NPA’s Mount Cansermon Command. The rebels deny this claim and assert that no such encounter has transpired.

According to Marialyn Sabanal, daughter of Gonzales, around 8:00 PM on January 8, unidentified men in civilian clothing, who claimed to be NPA members, approached Sabanal and her husband in search of Gonzales. They were looking for a sack that they previously told Gonzales to hide towards the end of last year. Sabanal suspected the sack contained weapons. She added when the men entered Gonzales’ home, he said he had been forced to accept the sack by the men.

Later, around midnight, the men returned to retrieve the sack. Sabanal heard gunshots and again in the early morning. Sabanal thought they were just setting off fireworks on the rooftop. Sabanal did not notice her father had not come home until that morning.

Karapatan Negros Island in a statement condemend the murder of Gonzales, saying, “This is another gross tactic of the military to disguise themselves as part of the NPA to absolve themselves of their war crimes.”

Karapatan also reported three days after he went missing, the military paraded Gonzales’ corpse as a rebel killed in an encounter.

Gonzales’ family members vouch he was not a member of the NPA, added Karapatan.

“We demand justice and accountability from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who continue to harass, intimidate and murder innocent civilians in their bloodthirsty quest for so-called peace and order,” concluded Karapatan’s statement.