Suspected NPA purge victims' remains exhumed - AFP

MANILA, Philippines - Government forces have exhumed skeletal remains of two New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas who were allegedly victims of the bloody purging by the communist party in the 1980s in Negros Occidental, a military spokesman said on Monday. Quoting belated reports, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres said the remains were retrieved at the vicinity of Sitio Bangcobangco in Barangay Camanindangan in Sipalay City last Wednesday morning based on leads provided by an unnamed informant. “The discovery was made possible with the help of a concerned civilian who has knowledge of the purging operations of the so called “Kampanyang Ahos" of the CPP-NPA in mid the 90s," said Torres. He said troops from the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion conducted the exhumation. Torres said the troops are still checking for other sites where victims of the communist purge were buried in the general area. "The troops are still in the area looking for a cave in which the guide said more victims were believed to be buried," he said. The military has documented thousands of victims of the purges since the 1980s throughout the country. The purges were perpetrated by the communist movement on suspicion that their ranks had been infiltrated by military agents. In August 2006, government forces also exhumed dozens of victims of the communist purge in Inopacan, Leyte in the 1980s. Witnesses have linked self-exiled communist party founder Jose Ma. Sison and Bayanmuna partylist Rep. Satur Ocampo to the purge. - GMANews.TV