Female NPA member killed in battle with AFP in Northern Samar

February 16, 2017

A female member of New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with government troops in Northern Samar last Tuesday.

1Lt. Cherry Junia, Army’s 8th Infantry Division officer, said troops of 43rd Infantry Battalion were conducting combat operation when they have encountered the rebels under leader Salvador Nordan alyas Badok at the vicinity of Sitio Cabaywa, Brgy. Santander, Bobon around 6am.

Junia said the fire fight lasted for about five minutes has resulted to the killing of one rebel identified as Bernadette Lutao alyas Kakan, wife of Badok and the recovery of one improvised explosive device (IED) and three cellular phones.

“The use of IED is restricted under the United Nations Geneva Convention because of its indiscriminate effects and humanitarian harm it can cause to innocent civilians as well as a violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the CPP-NPA-NDF,” she said.

Junia said according to Maj. General Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s 8th ID, “the NPAs have been using IEDs as of their weapons of choice without consideration on the welfare of the civilian populace.”

“The NPA has been deliberately violating the human rights with their production and employment of IEDs and their continuous disruption of the peaceful lives of our fellow Filipinos especially those in the far-flung barangays,” he said. DMS