By Ka JUANITO MAGBANUA
Apolinario “Boy” Gatmaitan Command
NPA-Negros Island
The latest media reports of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Negros Occidental Chief Dante Baldevarona that the New People’s Army tops the list of human rights violations is highly expected from him as a special agent of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He even went beyond, declaring that the AFP has no violations whatsoever, and went on to conclude that the fascist military now has a high level of human rights consciousness.
Baldevarona has always been a cheap spokesman of the fascist AFP, much worse than AFP Colonels de los Reyes or Sumagaysay. Camouflaged as an employee of the CHR, he never investigates human rights violations committed by the AFP but is quick in attacking and accusing the NPA.
The CHR office of Negros Occidental under Baldevarona has never upheld the plight of human rights victims of the AFP, despotic landlords, and the mercenary RPA-ABB. Thus he perpetuates impunity of state sponsored terrorism.
No wonder these victims never filed a report to Baldevarona. Because they know that doing so will only end up to nothing. He even discouraged victims of filing cases against the AFP. He brands these victims as NPAs or rebel sympathizers or simply collateral damage. Sources within the CHR office reveals that even ordinary Negrenses without any political affiliation can attest to Baldevarona’s rabid anti-people and pro military ways when they report a case to the CHR against abusive soldiers.
The NPA has a high level of commitment to human rights advocacy and protection, especially of the poor peasants, farm workers, laborers, women and children and other oppressed sectors. These commitments are enshrined in the NPA’s Three Rules of Discipline and Eight Points of Attention. The NPA fights for the interests of the oppressed people. If mistakes are made, the NPA admits them, makes amends or pays for damages that it can afford and strictly impose disciplinary actions to offenders.
The NPA as a revolutionary people’s army adheres to the Comprehensive Agreement for the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) signed by the government of the Republic of the Philippines and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Human Rights violations committed in Negros by the AFP, RPA, and the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), under the intensification of Oplan BAYANIHAN of the US-Aquino regime, is alarming, with cases like extra-judicial killings, abductions, arson, occupation of community halls, churches, looting, illegal searches, forced surrender, detachment building near or within populated areas, monitoring of the activities of the people, food control and intimidation, imposing curfew, tolerating and proliferating illegal drugs, gambling, alcoholism, etc.
These state-sponsored terroristic acts are documented by the local mass organizations and are reported to credible and impartial human rights organizations. It is reported in the media, recorded in the barangay (village) and the police blotters. All these are nothing to AFP special agent Baldevarona.
Baldevarona, thru his fantastic declarations that tickle and praise human rights violators of the AFP, should ask his “AFP Bosses” for a promotion or favor, and perhaps maybe a new camouflaged uniform he can wear while reporting to the CHR Office of Negros Occidental.
