CPP, NPA vow justice for slain Lumad teachers, 3 others

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) on Thursday vowed to “punish” those responsible for the deaths of volunteer Lumad school teachers Chad Booc and Jurain Ngujo, and three others.

"The NPA in Southern Mindanao shall ensure that revolutionary justice in the conduct of the people’s war is thoroughly meted out," NPA-Southern Mindanao spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez said.

He also noted that the encounter was a “spineless retaliation” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) after they were said to be ambushed by the NPA in Barangay Tandawan, New Bataan on February 9.

“Failing to inflict retaliatory damage against the NPA, the enemy trained their guns on unarmed civilians, and subsequently spun lies to smokescreen its atrocity,” he added.

The 10th Infantry Division last Friday said that five alleged communist rebels were killed during an encounter in New Bataan, Davao de Oro on February 24.

The CPP refuted claims by the military that an encounter took place and said those killed were civilians or unarmed.

Meanwhile, CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena said that the “revolutionary movement” holds the AFP and President Rodrigo Duterte responsible for the incident and “other innumerable crimes.”

"Under the direction of the Party and local organs of political power, units of the NPA can punish identified perpetrators of the crime," Valbuena said.

Valbuena also called on all units of the NPA across the country to “continue to mount tactical offensives and punitive actions, especially against forces of the AFP, PNP (Philippine National Police) and paramilitaries” that were responsible for the deaths.

Research group IBON Foundation condemned the said killing and said the military responsible for their deaths should be held accountable.

They said some of the victims were “not just providing education and health services to otherwise neglected Lumad communities – they were also supporting struggles against corporate encroachment on ancestral land and its attendant militarization.”—LDF, GMA News