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BY RANIE AZUE
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Wednesday, March 7, 2018
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BACOLOD City – The six individuals arrested in Barangay Luyang, Mabinay, Negros Oriental are not members of the New People’s Army (NPA), according to the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Negros Island.
NDF-Negros spokesman Ka Frank Fernandez said in a statement that the six individuals, including a 21-year-old mass communication graduate of the University of the Philippines in Cebu, were only conducting a “social investigation” when members of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) arrested them.
Fernandez condemned the arrest, calling it illegal. He also claimed that the soldiers and the police “planted” evidence against the six individuals.
He added that the soldiers also violated human rights when they detained the individuals and forced them to admit to being NPA members.
No lawyer was provided for the individuals while undergoing interrogation, Fernandez also claimed.
Fernandez, a former Catholic priest, said the individuals were only peasant activists who were learning the life in the countryside.
He also linked the incident to President Rodrigo Dutere declaring all leftist organizations as terror groups.
Based on the 62IB report, high-powered firearms were recovered from the individuals, including an M16A1 rifle, an M16A1 rifle with an M203 grenade launcher, two M4 rifles, a VLTOR (M16) rifle, and an AG 43 (M16) rifle.
Rifle grenades, explosives, other battle gears, foodstuff, and subversive documents were also confiscated from them.
The individuals were arrested on March 3 after a shootout between suspected NPA rebels and soldiers./PN
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