AFP updates report on CPP humanitarian law violations with 166 more incidents

The Armed Forces of the Philippines updated its report on alleged international humanitarian law violations by the Communist Party of the Philippines with 166 additional incidents.

In a statement, the AFP said its Center for Law of Armed Conflict (AFPCLOAC) updated the report, which was sent to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), with 16 incidents of recruitment and use of child combatants, 10 destruction of civilian-owned property incidents, 113 cases of the employment of anti-personnel mines (APM), 20 willful killings, and seven other IHL violations.

The newly added incidents brought the total of supposed IHL violations by the communist group to 1,672 incidents since 2010.

AFPCLOAC director Brigadier General Alejandro Nacnac submitted the report to CHR officer-in-charge Commissioner Karen Gomez-Dumpit.

“These numbers are expected to rise as AFP units continue to monitor and submit reports on the IHL violations of the CTGs. These CTG atrocities should not be left with impunity,” Nacnac said.

On October 6, the AFPCLOAC also forwarded the report to the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG). It was also sent to the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s Legal Cooperation Cluster (NTF-ELCAC LCC) on October 5.

From 2010 to 2020, the AFP said a total of 1,506 IHL violations were allegedly committed by communist rebels, including using 544 children as combatants, 532 incidents of destruction of civilian-owned property, 141 incidents involving the usage of Anti-Personnel Mines (APM).

Also included were 289 intentional killings of innocent civilians, assassinations of former members, premeditated killing of military personnel who were performing their duty, and other incidents of killings.

The AFP said the CPP-New People’s Army is listed as a terrorist organization by the European Union, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. — DVM, GMA News