The New People’s Army (NPA)-Central Negros (Leonardo Panaligan Command) reported that the 62nd IB captured, tortured, and deliberately killed one of its fighters recovering from pneumonia. Dino Pane (Ka Yulo) was captured then killed in Sitio Nabuluan, Barangay Bucalan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental on April 23.
NPA-Central Negros spokesperson Ka JB Regalado said Pane was suffering from pneumonia with high fever and weakness. Soldiers seized the unarmed Pane from a hut where he was recovering. They then tortured and killed him.
The 303rd IBde commander BGen. Ted Dumosmog in a statement claimed encounters occurred in the area that killed Pane. The 62nd IB also claimed they seized an M16 rifle and ammunition from Pane.
Regalado condemned Pane’s killing, saying it violated the laws of war and international humanitarian law (IHL), as well as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). The agreement was signed by the negotiating panels of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and National Democratic Front of the Philippines on March 16, 1998 at The Hague, The Netherlands.
In accordance with Part 4 (Respect for International Humanitarian Law), Article 4, Number 1 of CARHRIHL: “Persons hors de combat and those who do not take a direct part in hostilities are entitled to respect for their lives, dignity, human rights, political convictions and their moral and physical integrity and shall be protected in all circumstances and treated humanely without any adverse distinction founded on race, color, faith, sex, birth, social standing or any other similar criteria.”
Besides killing, 62nd IB soldiers twice fired indiscriminately on Barangay Binalbagan in the same city. Soldiers claimed both as encounters with the NPA-Central Negros unit.
On April 21 at 3 a.m., soldiers shot at farmer Eddie Marco’s hut in Sityo Palaming. They fired again in the same sitio on the morning of May 10.
In the second incident, soldiers raided Marco’s house and interrogated him to extract information on Red fighters and their location. They also threatened to harm him.
This violated Part 4 (Respect for International Humanitarian Law), Article 4, Number 4 of CARHRIHL: “Civilian population and civilians shall be treated as such and shall be distinguished from combatants and, together with their property, shall not be the object of attack. They shall likewise be protected against indiscriminate aerial bombardment, strafing, artillery fire, mortar fire, arson, bulldozing and other similar forms of destroying lives and property, from the use of explosives as well as the stockpiling near or in their midst, and the use of chemical and biological weapons.”
Regalado said the 62nd IB’s sowing of terrorism in Canlaon City disrupts and harasses the peaceful lives of farmers in the area. He added that the military uses fake encounters to cover up its botched military operations against the people’s army.
Regalado called on Central Negros people to unite and organize their ranks to strengthen resistance against the state’s fascism.
