Karapatan urges NBI to probe case of slain suspected rebels in Bohol
Published February 26, 2024 9:27pm A rights group on Monday urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the alleged murder of five suspected rebels, including a lawyer, in a military operation in Bilar, Bohol last Friday. Karapatan rejected the military and police claim that the victims died in an encounter, maintaining they were […]
T Kauer 
A rights group on Monday urged the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to probe the alleged murder of five suspected rebels, including a lawyer, in a military operation in Bilar, Bohol last Friday.
Karapatan rejected the military and police claim that the victims died in an encounter, maintaining they were alive when they were arrested.
“It points out na may foul play sa pinalalabas ng pulis at military na namatay sa encounter ‘yung mga victims. It would seem they died after they were accosted,” said Karapatan Central Visayas Spokesperson Dennis Abarientos in Jun Veneracion’s report on “24 Oras” Monday.
(It points out there is foul play in what the police and military are portraying that the victims died in an alleged encounter. It would seem they died after they were accosted.)
“Ang paniniwala namin they were executed,” he said. (We believe they were executed.)
The Philippine Army last week said five alleged members of the New People’s Army and a policeman were killed during the operation.
Among the fatalities was lawyer Hannah Jay Cesista, a University of the Philippines Cebu graduate who passed the Bar Examinations in 2022. She was also a member of Karapatan.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied allegations of “massacre” and “torture” in the operation, dismissing the claims as “propaganda”.
PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. maintained that the incident was a “legitimate encounter”.
“If there are complaints, we are open for investigation but based on the reports from our lower units it is a legitimate encounter,” Accord Jr. said.
Both the police and military said they are open to an investigation.—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News
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