Rejoinder: Fake Covid-19 results and other AFP lies to cover up murder of Ka Oris

Fifteen days have passed since the October 29 murder of Ka Oris (Jorge Madlos), former spokesman of the New People’s Army (NPA), and his aide NPA medic Eighfel Dela Peña (Ka Pika) by the fascist butchers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). For more than two weeks, we have seen and heard nothing from the AFP but lies and more lies.

To recall, Ka Oris was with Ka Pika on his way for a medical checkup. They were aboard a motorcycle travelling along the road from the town proper of Impasug-ong, Bukidnon at around 8 p.m. when they were intercepted by troops of the 403rd Infantry Brigade. Both unarmed and in no position to give battle, they were subsequently murdered in cold blood.

Four days after Ka Oris and Ka Pika were murdered, their remains were unilaterally and hastily cremated by the military. The AFP carried out the cremation without the family’s permission and amid calls for an autopsy to be performed by independent pathologists. The AFP insists that the cremation was done in accordance with Covid-19 protocols, when in fact the DOH provides for burial of remains as part of its protocol, as is widely practiced in Bukidnon province (which does not have cremation facilities). By having the remains of Ka Oris and Ka Pika cremated, the AFP burned all evidence of their crime.

The hasty cremation was carried out by the AFP on the basis of claims that Ka Oris and Ka Pika were positive for Covid-19. To boost their claims, the AFP circulated a low-resolution image of the purported results of Ka Oris’ supposed swab test. The AFP did not present similar “evidences” for Ka Pika.

We have reason to believe that the supposed Covid-19 results are fake. A repeated check of the control number “BUK006993” or “BUKOO6993” as indicated in the image at the Philippine Red Cross verifier form (https://c19.redcross.org.ph/verify) returned no results. One can also observe that the image does not contain the PRC watermark. We believe that the image of the supposed results were concocted only to justify the hasty cremation. Indeed, based on its record of human rights violations and disinformation, it is not surprising for the AFP to weave such lies.

Since October 31, the AFP has stacked one lie above another to push their false narrative that Ka Oris and Ka Pika were killed in a supposed armed encounter in Sitio Gabunan, Dumalaguing, Impasug-ong on October 30 at around 11:30 a.m. This is impossible as the same area was subjected to heavy aerial bombardment 10 hours earlier (which means if there were any NPA camp in the area, Red fighters would have immediately abandoned and withdrawn to a distance).

Residents of Barangay Dumalaguing interviewed could only attest to hearing the early morning bombardment, and not the early noon firefight. Asked for physical or photographic evidence for the supposedly overran camp, the AFP could offer nothing except for the sounds of the aerial bombardment. In a vain attempt to silence all doubts, the AFP carried another heavy bombardment in the same place on the night of November 2 igniting fires that razed a large part of the mountains.

The endless lies of the AFP cannot cover up their murder of Ka Oris nor placate the outrage of the Filipino people and their revolutionary forces. The Party and the New People’s Army hold the AFP, particularly the officers of the 4th ID and the 403rd Infantry Brigade responsible for the crime, and will not stop to until justice is attained.
Rejoinder: Fake Covid-19 results and other AFP lies to cover up murder of Ka Oris
Human Rights

Rejoinder: Fake Covid-19 results and other AFP lies to cover up murder of Ka Oris