A human rights group in Panay Island accused the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of summarily executing two former political prisoners in what the military said was an “encounter” while serving an arrest warrant.
Panay Alliance Karapatan said Roberto Cabales, 68, and Mateo Suarez, 72, were victims of yet another fake firefight by a joint PNP and Philippine Army operation in Brgy. Coto, Lambunao, Iloilo on the night of October 5.
“[I]nitial reports and witness accounts contradict this. Residents of the community reported no indication that a firefight ever took place between security forces and the victims, raising serious doubt over the military’s version of events,” the group said.
Panay Alliance Karapatan added the elderly victims were defenseless and their deaths were grave violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
“This incident adds to the long list of extrajudicial killings and attacks against political activists, human rights defenders, and former political prisoners under the AFP’s counterinsurgency campaign,” the group said.
The Philippine Army alleged Cabales was the secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyon–Panay (KR-Panay) of the Communist Party of the Philippines who carried a P3.1 bounty on his head.
The military also alleged the septuagenarian Suarez was a New People’s Army fighter.
Both were former political prisoners whose respective charges were later dismissed by the courts.
Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director BGen. Josefino Ligan in a press conference on Tuesday insisted the incident was a “legitimate encounter” as Cabales and Suarez were first to open fire at the police and army team.
Cabales’ family however said the victims’ deaths were “murder” and branded as “machinations” joint efforts by both the police and the military of explain their killing.
“[B]efore you agree with the military and the police that they did a good job by killing our Tatay…[w]e urge you to listen to the news. Open your eyes to the systemic corruption in the state bureaucracy, the unnerving news of wealth amassed by a few from plunder, the disheartening plight of the poor in times of calamity, and many more,” the family said in a statement issued Wednesday.
They added their father was not wrong for giving up his life for genuine social change.
This report was first published by Kodao Productions.
