ILOILO City – The New People Army (NPA) owned up to the killing of Philippine Army Corporal Frederick Villasis and described him as a legitimate target.
In a statement, the NPA’s Coronacion “Waling-waling” Chiva Command spokesperson Julio Montana said it was the Mt. Baloy Command unit of the NPA that “punished” Villasis, a soldier assigned in the 12th Infantry Battalion (12IB).
“Si Cpl. (Corporal) Villasis isa ka lehitimo nga target sang aksyon militar sang NPA bangud magluwas sa regular siya nga katapu sang (Armed Forces of the Philippines) nga ara sa opensiba nga operasyon, siya armado kag may kahilabtanan sa mga mabug-at nga krimen batuk sa pumuluyo,” Montana said.
The NPA claimed Villasis was involved in the “massacre, arrest and detention” of Tumandok farmers on Dec. 30, 2020. Troops of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) and Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) carried out synchronized military-police operations in Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz, Capiz.
The raids for alleged illegal firearms and explosives resulted in the arrest of 16 members of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and the death of nine others.
Among those killed in Barangay Lahug, Tapaz were Roy Giganto, chairperson of Tumandok IP organization, and village councilor and co-councilors Reynaldo Katipunan and Mario Aguirre, according to farmers’ group Pamanggas Panay, the regional chapter of militant peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.
Punishing Villasis means giving justice to the Tumandok, Montana added.
Based on their investigation, he said, prior the Dec. 30, 2020 bloody raid Villasis’ troops positioned themselves in barangays Lahug, Tacayan, Aglinab, Acuna, and Roosevelt in Tapaz, and Garangan and Masaroy in Calinog, Iloilo to conduct surveillance and serve as guide to messengers of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Region 6 and PRO-6.
“Ini ang rason kon ngaa mahapos natumod sang mga pangayaw nga tropa ang pagkilala sa ila kag ang balay sang 9 (siyam) nga ila pinatay kag 16 nga ginpangdakup kag ginbilanggo sa pihak sang kadulom sadto nga panahon. Ginhimo ang madamuan nga pagpatay kag pagbilanggo gamit ang himu-himo nga mga kaso kag gintanum nga mga ebidensya,” Montana added.
“Matandaan nga ang gingamit nila nga mga search warrant ang naghalin sa isa ka pabrika sang mga warrant sa NCR (National Capital Region) nga gindulaan sang epektibidad sang RTC (Regional Trial Court) sa Capiz sining Hunyo 2021,” he added.
They also accused Villasis and his troops of occupying the public school and multi-purpose hall of Barangay Lahug, and threatening and harassing residents.
On Aug. 11, Villasis was killed in Barangay Lahug by around 40 rebels.
They reportedly tortured Villasis before shooting him from behind. His motorcycle was also set on fire.
“Tuman ka ipokrito sang mga opisyal kag tagpamaba sang 3ID kag 12IB nga magngasal sang ‘hustisya’, ‘kinamatarung’, ‘layi’ sa natabu kay Cpl. Villasis, samtang sila ang bungol, bulag kag wala balatyagon sa mga singgitan para sa katarungan kag kinamatarung sang mga imol nga biktima sang ila makasiligni nga mga krimen,” Montana said./PN
