The New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Island said it killed the military intelligence asset responsible for the capture and killing of renowned poet and National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Ericson Acosta.
The Armando Sumayang Jr. Command of the NPA in southwest Negros Island raided the house of alleged intelligence asset Garde Francisco last October 3 that resulted in his death, Communist Party of the Philippines’s newsletter Ang Bayan reported.
Ang Bayan said Francisco aided the 15th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) in the capture and summary execution of Acosta and farmer-leader Joseph Jimenez in Sitio Makilo, Barangay Kamansi, Kabankalan City last November 30, 2022.
READ: NDF-Negros: Military murdered peace consultant-poet Ericson Acosta
NDFP-Negros spokesperson Bayani Obrero said Acosta and Jimenez were captured alive at around two o’clock in the morning but were announced as casualties in a “fake encounter” a few hours later.
The 94th IBPA at the time said that they, along with the 47th IB-PA, fought against 10 NPA fighters twice in a span of 15 minutes that resulted in the discovery of two dead rebels, presumably Acosta and his unnamed companion.
But University of the Philippines College of Medicine forensic pathologist Racquel Fortun in an autopsy said that Acosta may have been shot way before his fatal wounds and after he died, based on the wound on his right hand that had severe hematoma as well as a back wound that lacerated the aorta at his lumbar area but did not bleed.
Fortun said Acosta died from hemorrhagic shock resulting from chest wounds that lacerated his lungs, adding: “It seemed the shots were fired at different times…On his hand, that was way before the fatal shots,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English.
READ: Autopsy: Ericson Acosta injured way before fatal shots, after he already died
The NPA said Francisco’s “punishment” is partial justice to Acosta and other victims of the Philippine Army’s rampage in the Island.
The Communist guerrillas said Fransisco was involved in at least three incidents that resulted in the deaths of both NPA fighters and civilians.
“Siya ang nagturo at nagtunton, na nagresulta sa sadyang pagpaslang at masaker, sa mga pusisyon ng mga kasama,” the NPA said. (He led the enemy in tracking and revealing where our comrades were staying.)
Aside from Acosta and Jimenez’s capture and execution, Francisco was involved in the massacre of five Red fighters and a civilian in Sitio Lubi, Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Setyembre 21, 2023, Ang Bayan said.
The casualties — Bobby Pedro, Mario Mullon, Janice Flores, Alejo delos Reyes, 6-month pregnant Melissa dela Peña tricycle driver Robin Gaitan – were unarmed and were on a medical mission when killed by the military, the NPA said.
Francisco was also involved in the massacre of “Kabankalan 7” sa Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City last Abril 27.
The victims were identified as Reniel Locsin Cellon, Mary Jane Magquilat, Charity Amacan, Johnrey Mejares, Glenda Tinio Mejares, a “Ka Pitong” and Dee Supelanas, a former UP-Cebu student-leader.
NPA Soutwest Negros spokesperson Andrea Guerrero said Francisco’s death serves as a warning to those with “blood debts” against the revolutionary movement.
“We do not forget your crimes and the NPA will exact justice,” the spokesperson said.
“It is better that you live righteously than be assets for the military who only use people’s money to perpetuate hardship and poverty,” Guerrero added. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
