Philippine Army troopers attacked a New People’s Army (NPA) unit on the latter’s 57th founding anniversary on Sunday, leading to a 20 minute gun battle and resulting in the killing of the attacking force’s commander.
The 68th Infantry Battalion said 1st Lt. Dean Buen Oyando was killed while leading pursuit operations against the NPA in Sitio Salafay, Brgy. Monteclaro in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.
Oyando was a member of the Philippine Military Academy “Madasigon” Class of 2023 and Scout Ranger Course Class 227-2025. He was promoted to Captain upon his death.
Two other government troopers were injured during the clash.
The battalion said it captured alleged NPA fighter, later identified as Charlize Garzon, a magna cum laude AB Arts Management alumna of the College of Saint Benilde in Manila.
Family intimidated
Garzon’s colleagues at the Malate chapter of artists group Panday Sining and Anakbayan Vito Cruz said her arrest was illegal and demanded her release.
Anakbayan also said 2nd Infantry Division personnel elements attempted to storm her home and harassed her grandmother, aunt, and mother on Monday, March 30.
Garzon’s friend Sky Tuazon revealed in a Facebook post that the former’s mother received “incessant calls from unknown numbers” as of Monday morning.
“Then came a more alarming call: her 72-year-old mother, Ceeka’s grandmother, frantically telling us that three men claiming to be from the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) were already at their home, insisting to be let in. She was alone,” Tuazon added.
Garzon is currently held at the San Jose Police Department jail, Anakbayan demanding unobstructed access to the detainee by her family and legal counsel.
IHL must apply
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) also demanded the respect of Garzon’s rights, condemning the public release of her photos as violations of rules of war.
“Regardless of whether she is a combatant or a non-combatant, she is entitled to be protected pursuant to the pertinent provisions of the International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law,” NUPL president Atty. Ephraim Cortez said.
Cortez recalled that purported photos of Garzon released by the military bear resemblance to US citizen Chantal Anicoche who the Armed Forces of the Philippines also claimed to have been captured following a military operation in Abra de Ilog early January.
“Notably, in both cases, the subjects were captured not during the military operations, or immediately thereafter, but days after, and during what they describe as pursuit operations,” Cortez said.
“The scenes in the two photos are obviously staged to support the narrative being peddled by the AFP, and the rifle, in the case of this recent incident, is for show to provide a legal justification for her warrantless arrest,” the human rights lawyer pointed out. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
