MANILA – Nine people were killed in a series of operations against activists in Calabarzon provinces on Sunday, days after President Rodrigo Duterte told the military and police to make sure to kill armed communist rebels they encountered.
Based on data from Philippine National Police (PNP), six were killed in Rizal, two in Batangas, and one in Cavite. Six people were arrested in the operations, three each in Laguna and Rizal.
No names and details about the operations were released by the PNP apart from saying these were “search warrant operations.” Explosives and assorted firearms were also seized.
PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier Gen. Ildebrandi Usana said the series of police operations in Calabarzon provinces were legitimate with search warrants and warrants of arrest issued by courts.
Said raids are not connected with Duterte’s latest remarks that police and military should “make sure to kill” rebels during encounters if they see them with firearms, Calabarzon police spokesperson Police Lieutenant Col. Citadel Gaoiran said.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, for his part, said the death of the nine activists will be investigated following reports that they were not armed during the operation.
“Doon sa mga napatay na mga aktibista, ang obligasyon ng estado iimbestigahan at kung makita nila na meron talagang dapat parusahan, ang obligasyon ay lilitisin at paparusahan ang mga pumatay,” Roque said in his virtual presser on Monday./PN
