Bayan’s Nato Reyes: Soldiers posing in front of body of congresswoman’s daughter a war crime

Soldiers posing in front of the body of Jevilyn Cullamat, a congresswoman's daughter who died in a military encounter with the New People's Army (NPA), is a war crime, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes said Monday.

"To pose in front of the dead as if the person is an object, a war trophy for the fascists, is a desecration of the dead and a violation of International Humanitarian Law," Reyes said in a statement.

He said the act disrespected the dead.

"Anuman ang paniniwala ng isang tao, may kasalanan man sila sa batas, hindi dapat binababoy ng ganyan ang kanilang mga labi. Sobrang kahayupan. Magtataka pa ba kayo kung bakit hindi natatapos ang armadong tunggalian sa bansa?" the militant leader said.

Jevilyn, the daughter of Bayan Muna Representative Eufemia Cullamat, was killed in a 45-minute encounter between Special Forces and suspected communist rebels in Surigao del Sur on Sunday. The military said she was a medic of the NPA.

The military released a photo of soldiers, holding up seized communist and NPA flags, standing behind the body of the 22-year-old. The military said they seized five high-powered firearms and five backpacks containing "war material and subversive documents" in the encounter.

'War crime'

"We should start calling it for what it is - a war crime. The picture says it all," Reyes said.

"Soldiers posing with the dead, as if she was a war trophy, her body laid out along with seized weapons and other items. Why? They want to dehumanize the revolutionaries so that killing them will be more acceptable," he added.

On Monday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said it was 'normal' for the military to take photos of enemies killed in encounters with government troops.

Lorenzana, however, told reporters that he already directed the military to determine how to "treat" the slain individuals better in order to protect their dignity and show respect to their families.

"Normal naman 'yung ginagawa ng military eh, ever since eh pinapakita natin 'yung mga namamatay, Abu Sayyaf, mga MNLF noon, MILF... siguro we will study kung papano natin mapangalagaan naman 'yung dignidad at saka 'yung privacy ng mga families," Lorenzana said.

'Different way to fight abuses'

Eufemia, a Manobo leader, said her daughter chose a different way to fight alleged abuses against the Lumad, the indigenous peoples of Mindanao.

"Si Jevilyn ay nasa wastong gulang na at kaya niyang magdesisyon para sa kaniyang sarili. Naniniwala ako na makatwiran ang kaniyang ipinaglalaban pero ibang porma ang kanyang pinili para mapigilan ang pambubusabos sa aming mga lumad at katutubo at para magkaroon din ng makaturangang lipunan," the congresswoman said.

She warned that the incident could embolden the military to "spread lies" against Bayan Muna and the rest of the Makabayan bloc, which state security officials have already accused of links to the communist insurgency.

"Walang kapantay ang aking dalamhati sa pagpatay ng militar sa aking anak na si Jevilyn. Dumagdag ang dugo ng aking anak sa libong kalumaran na nagpatak ng dugo sa lupa para sa kalayaan at laban sa historikong pang-aapi sa aming hanay," Eufemia said. — RSJ, GMA News