Combined forces of the police, its special units, and the 79th IB arrested an organizer of agricultural workers and four others on the night of April 22 in Talisay City, Negros Occidental. They accused the arrested of being New People’s Army (NPA) Red fighters who escaped the April 19 bloody massacre in Toboso.
Local media reported that police served an arrest warrant against an alias “Glem,” one of the five, for attempted murder. Weapons and explosives were claimed to have been seized from the five at the arrest. Police identified those arrested as Glemmar Ruelis Bacusmo, Danny Boy Pacheco, Judy Caramihan, Julie Ann Balora, and Jerome Seballos.
Balora, Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura (UMA, or Agricultural Workers Union) national council member and a National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) organiser, stated they were traveling from Victorias City when a van, followed by several other vehicles, blocked them 20 minutes later. Armed personnel from the vehicles allegedly aimed guns at them and ordered them to get down, kneel, and bow.
According to UMA, the armed state operatives gave no explanation while carrying out the operation. Balora said she saw two operatives carrying two bags board the van they had rented. They were brought to the police station in Talisay City an hour later.
Balora also reported that she was interrogated without a lawyer. She also saw her companions being taken for interrogation, and at one point, police punched one of her companions in the chest.
Human Rights Advocates Negros and UMA condemned what they called the illegal arrest of the five. According to UMA, the Toboso Massacre and the arrest of Balora seemingly links with the Duterte regime’s intense repression on Negros Island under the framework of Memorandum Order No. 32.
The Fausto family massacred by the 94th IB in 2023, as well as the so-called Sagay 9 massacred in 2018 were all NFSW members.
The group said the state is brandishing its capability over peasants and ordinary people who fight for their rights. “This is what will happen to you,” UMA said, describing the Marcos regime’s clear message.
“Such grave rights violations makes Marcos Jr—like his predecessor Duterte—liable for investigation by the International Criminal Court and the International Labor Organization,” UMA said.
