AFP, Reds trade accusations over Negros massacre

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines —The military and New People’s Army (NPA) have traded accusations over the killing of four family members in a rebel-infested area in Sitio Kangkiling, Barangay Buenavista in Himamaylan, Negros Occidental on Thursday.

In a statement, the NPA’s Apolinario Gatmaitan Command condemned the incident and accused the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) of being behind the gruesome murder of Rolly Fausto, his wife Imelda and their two children aged 15 and 11.

There were reports that Fausto had been red-tagged by the military.

On the other hand, Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the NPA’s ”pointing of their dirty finger at the Army is part of the communist terrorist group’s deceptive tactic to cover up the truth.”

”These allegations are nothing but an attempt by desperate NPA rebels to tarnish the reputation of the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental,” Edralin said.

Police said 53 bullet shells for an M16 rifle were recovered at the scene.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is hoping that the culprits would soon be identified and arrested to bring justice to the remaining family member.

A third child of the couple, who was not home when the killing occurred, discovered and reported the incident to the police.

The Western Visayas police was ordered to conduct a thorough investigation of the incident.

Meanwhile, rights group Karapatan urged the Commision on Human Rights (CHR) and Congress to conduct an investigation into the murder of the four family members.

Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said state security forces are ”on killing sprees and terrorizing peasant families such as the Fausto household.”

Farmers group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas also appealed to the CHR to investigate the massacre of the Fausto family. — Gilbert Bayoran