THE 4th Infantry Division (4ID) has accused New People’s Army (NPA) rebels of torturing and beheading a militiaman in Surigao del Sur last January 29, 2018.
Brigadier General Franco Nemesio Gacal, 4ID's 402nd Infantry Brigade Commander called the killing of 31-year-old Mar Acebedo Bocales, a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), a terror attack an a grave violation on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL).
Renan Bocales, the victim's brother, said he discovered his brother's body butchered, hogtied, and his head severed from his body.
Bocales tagged the NPA as the perpetrators of the killing.
But in a statement Ka Ariel Montero, spokesperson of the NPA-Northeastern Mindanao denied the accusations and said Bocales was killed by a bandit group led by Emerson Cuarteron. Montero said the bandits are operating in San Miguel town, Surigao del Sur, particularly in the mining areas.
The NPA said bandit leader Cuarteron and a certain Hasmin Acebedo are fighting control over a certain area in Surigao, which exists to harass and grab land from farmers.
"Despite the crimes committed by these bandits, the criminals remained free and continued harassing the residents because they are backed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP). Because of their greed, the AFP was unable to prevent the bandits from attacking each other," the statement says.
"To conceal the AFP's involvement, they deviously accuse the NPA for killing Bocales and use such as black propaganda against the revolutionary movement and to affirm that the NPA is a terrorist," it adds.
In a statement, the AFP said the attack is "yet again proof of the numerous atrocities of the NPA and of their barbarism comparable to the Abu Sayyaf and Daesh-inspired Maute terrorists who behead their helpless victims".
The AFP has vowed to pursue the suspects and continue ‘focused’ military operations.
"We condemn the torture done to the off-duty Manobo Cafgu Mar Acebedo Bocales, a father of three, who was abducted as he was hunting for wild animals to feed his family. His body bore torture marks as he was made to suffer before being beheaded by NPA terrorists in the mountains of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur," the AFP said.