• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island has issued a statement justifying the armed revolution, claiming that it is necessary to fight state terrorism.
In a statement, Ka Maoche Legislador, spokesman of Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, claimed that Negros Island is believed to be a laboratory for state violence.
He cited what he claims the massacres and summary killings mainly targeting farmers and farm workers.
He also accused the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police of blatantly violating the International Humanitarian Law and the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in the death of NPA leaders, among them Kerima Lorena Tariman, Marilyn Badayos, Romeo Nanta , Ericson Acosta and Rogelio Posadas.
All five were identified by the Philippine Army as among the top NPA leaders they had neutralized in series of encounters in Negros Island in the past two years. | GB
