BACOLOD City – Calling local activists as terrorists is a campaign that aims to “sow terror among human rights defenders,” said the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The NPA issued the statement as photos and names of activists based in Negros Island were posted in the southern Negros Occidental town of Moises Padilla.
The posters tagged the local progressive group leaders as terrorists.
According to the NPA, the local government of Moises Padilla, the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Battalion (IB) and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office were behind the posters.
NPA spokesman Ka JB Regalado said the posters, which were placed in public places, served as “hit lists.”
Included in the posters were Bayan-Negros chairman Christian Tuayon, Karapatan-Negros secretary-general Clarizza Singson-Dagatan, Paghida-et sa Kauswagan Development Group-Negros member Ben Ramos, Negros Island Health Integrated Program member Sarah Alvarez, and League of Filipino Students former secretary-general Julius Dagatan.
Regalado also accused Brigadier General Eliezer Losañes, commander of the 303rd IB, and Moises Padilla mayor Magdaleno Peña of plotting against the local progressive leaders.
Regalado said Losañes and Peña want to silence the campaign against human rights violations allegedly perpetrated by the armed goons.
Panay News has yet to reach Losañes and Peña as of this writing./PN
