PNP says IAS will investigate death of two NDF peace consultants

November 30, 2020

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the Internal Affairs Service (IAS) will investigate the death of National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultants Eugenia Magpantay and Agaton Topacio last week in Angono, Rizal.

Police General Debold Sinas, in a press briefing Monday,  operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)- Calabarzon only implemented the search warrants against the couple last November 25 for alleged illegal possession of explosives.

The CIDG men also served warrants of arrest for homicide and murder.

According to a police report, Topacio and Magpantay resisted arrest, which resulted in an encounter.

They were both injured and brought to the Rizal Provincial Hospital but were declared dead on arrival by an attending physician.

“During that time there are firearms recovered from them… If the terrorists said they did not fight back, it’s up to them. We are open for any investigation and these two accordingly were found not just ordinary couples. They are hardened terrorists,” he said.

“As to the circumstances of the shooting, it’s the people who implemented the search warrant and service of warrant of arrest who know what happened so we are waiting for their final report and I think IAS will conduct a motu proprio investigation,” he said.

Sinas said that the National Democratic Front can file a case if they believe their members were murdered and did not resist arrest.

“Now if the CPP-NPA ( Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army) claim, we will not react. That is just their allegation. If they want, they could always file a case in court if they have evidence. If not, they should not say anything,” Sinas said.

Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Jigs Clamor said the killings of sick and elderly peace consultants are direct violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) and the Geneva Convention, citing the deaths of Randy Malayao, Randall Echanis and Julius Giron.

“In the first place, these consultants should not have become targets of killings as they should be protected under the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees by both parties. Under JASIG, the filing of trumped criminal charges is also prohibited,” he said.

“However, the recent wrongful conviction of NDF(National Democratic Front) peace panel member Benito Tiamzon and peace consultant Wilma Tiamzon, as well as the arrest of former peace consultant Alfredo Mapano show how these agreements on human rights and international humanitarian law have been time and again violated,” he added. Ella Dionisio/DMS