79th IB-PA Conducts RCSP in Northern Negros, HRVs Perpetrated!
Residents from Northern Negros experienced human rights violations (HRVs) as 79th Infantry Battalion – Philippine Army (79th IB-PA) conducts Retooled Community Service Program (RCSP) in Victorias City and the towns of Toboso and Calatrava. Common HRVs includes community encampment, interrogation, threat and intimidation and forced surrenderrees.
Since September 2021, RCSP is conducted in Barangay Hilub-ang, Calatrava covering the sitios Baybayon, Ginpungtan, Carbon, Proper Hilub-ang, among others. Residents underwent repeated interrogation, intimidation and threat. Despite people’s clamor, RCSP team of the 79th IB-PA continues encampment in civilian communities. Residents area also forced to surrender as NPA combatant or supporter.
In Sitio Malig-on 2, Barangay Bandila, Toboso, RCSP started since 1st week of January 2022. Similar rights violations mentioned were conducted in the area. An alarming incident was reported on March 2022 that a fistfight broke out between an element of 79th IB-PA and a drunk resident over a clamor against their community encampment.
To protect the landlords and bureaucrats of Northern Negros, RCSP is conducted in Barangay XI (Gawahon), Victorias City since January 24, 2022. Similar HRVs were perpetrated, and some threat and intimidations were escalated to liquidation should residents do not cooperate to the demands of the ruling class.
To add to the mentioned HRVs, residents of each area commonly reported the anti-social activities, like drinking alcoholic beverages, cockfighting and other gambling activities, headed by the reactionary government troops in their area of operation.
In a public meeting with the residents of Barangay Bandila, Toboso, Lt. Col. J-jay Javinez, 79th IB-PA Commanding Officer, admitted that their temporary camp within the community violated the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Laws (CARHIHL) and blamed the NPA for harassing the RCSP team. Lt. Col. Javinez must have forgotten that the law applies whether temporary or permanent encampment, yet pursued the decision even he surely violates the rule and obviously using the civilian lives as safeguard.
A unit of RJPC-NPA on April 3, 2022 successfully harassed the RCSP Team in Brgy. Bandila. Despite community encampment of enemy troops in the said area, no civilian was harmed during the operation.
If these HRVs and anti-social activities are the acts of the implementors of “crushers of the revolution”, then, Lt. Col. Javinez, the 79th IB-PA and the US-Duterte regime are dreaming with their eyes wide open with their objective to destroy the revolutionary movement, nor to dismantle the Northern Negros Guerilla Front.
Red commanders and fighters of the RJPC-NPA, as well as the whole revolutionary movement, perceive that the masses are the true measure of success in whatever endeavors we aspire to achieve.
The Filipino people, especially of Northern Negros, remains to cherish their people’s army. The RJPC-NPA continues to receive undying masses’ support.
RJPC-NPA calls on all the people of Northern Negros to turn your fears into a collective struggle against the fascist enemy troops. Your collective action can become the unbeatable weapon that can extinguish enemies’ advanced weaponries. RJPC-NPA is alongside with you in serving justice and punishing enemy troops and achieve long lasting peace.