The Philippine Army has condemned the communist terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA) for brutally killing a former member who surrendered to the government on the outskirts of Matuguinao, Samar province.
Philippine Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion (19IB) commander Lt. Col. Jasper Justito Pecson said Carlos Diaz, 50, had been living peacefully with his family in upland Nagpapacao village when the NPA mercilessly killed him on Monday morning.
“The NPA has been doing atrocities in order to instill fear to their former members and supporters and even kill people in the communities who contradict their propaganda,” Pecson said in a statement on Tuesday.
Diaz surrendered in August 2018 and had since engaged in farming.
The military reported that about eight NPA fighters shot Diaz in the head and other parts of the body several times while tending to his crops past 7 a.m.
Pecson said this terrorist act aims to scare NPA members planning to abandon the organization.
Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division commander Maj. Gen. Pio Diñoso III vowed to give justice to the death of Diaz as he slammed the NPA for killing one of their former comrades who had opted to return to the fold of the law.
“We will make the communist NPA terrorists and their supporters accountable for the actions of their members who deprived their former NPA members (of the chance) to live peacefully with their loved ones,” Diñoso said.
The official also called on the Commission on Human Rights and self-declared human rights advocates to condemn the murder.
Also this year, at least five former rebels were abducted and murdered by the NPA in Leyte and Samar provinces, according to government troops.
The NPA, which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Source: Philippines News Agency