JTF-Bicolandia: Absalons deserve justice, not mere apology

The Joint Task Force–Bicolandia has challenged the New People’s Army to surrender its members behind the landmine blast that killed college football player Kieth Absalon and his relative in Masbate City.

JTF-Bicolandia commander Major General Henry Robinson Jr. said the surrender would prove that the communist rebels are truly sorry for the crime committed by its members.

“We are challenging the CTG, if you are really sorry, surrender your members to the authorities and have them pay for their crimes,” he said in a statement dated June 9 but sent to reporters Thursday.

He added that “the Absalons do not deserve a mere apology; they deserve justice.”

On Sunday, a bomb and gun attack perpetrated by the NPA killed Absalon, 21, and his relative Nolven.

The Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA have expressed remorse over the incident, with CPP spokesperson Marco Valbuena attributing it to "errors of an NPA unit.

But, according to Robinson, the CPP only apologized because Kieth is a public figure.

“In fact, if Keith is not a public figure, they won't apologize just like how they ruthlessly ignore the previous victims of their anti-people and anti-development attacks,” he said.

He added that CPP-NPA has been violating domestic and international laws by detonating landmines intended for government troops and civilians.

“Thankfully, this time, they did not deny doing it. It only qualifies them to be called terrorists,” he said.

Robinson also called on rights group Karapatan Bicol and other organizations to speak up and take a stand on the issue to show that they are really fighting for people’s rights.—Joviland Rita/AOL, GMA News