The police apprehended on Monday 12 individuals the military suspected to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and were involved in an earlier clash with soldiers in Nasugbu, Batangas.
A statement from human-rights group Karapatan, however, said the individuals were members of its quick-response team (QRT) who were in Nasugbu to check on the alleged human-rights violations by soldiers against civilians following the encounter.
Capt. Melchor Durante, public affairs office chief of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, said the 12 persons were apprehended by members of the Nasugbu police at a checkpoint, almost two hours after soldiers and rebels clashed at Barangay Utod, also in the town.
“Following an encounter of government forces against NPA rebels at Barangay Utod, Nasugbu, Batangas at 8:18 a.m. on Monday, November 20, elements of PNP [Philippine National Police] Nasugbu, during a checkpoint, flagged down a jeep loaded with 12 individuals believed to be involved with the recent encounter at 10 a.m.,”
Durante said in a statement.
Quoting Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., commander of the 202nd Infantry Brigade which supervises the operations of the 730th Combat Group of the Philippine Air Force under Major Engelberto Nioda, Durante said the checkpoint “was set up in order to prevent the armed terrorists from fleeing from the encounter site.”
Durante added reports reaching Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, acting commander of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command, claimed “the terrorists were still hiding within the vicinity of the encounter site.” However, Karapatan, through its secretary-general Cristina Palabay, said government forces arrested her group’s members who were onboard a jeepney on their way to Barangay Utod to check on the alleged abuses of soldiers against civilians following the clash.
Palabay also listed only nine individuals and not 12 as claimed by Durante.
“On November 20, 9 members of the quick reaction team led by BHRA-Karapatan were illegally arrested by members of the Philippine National Police and Philippine Air Force [PAF] 730th Combat Group in Nasugbu, Batangas. The nine individuals were members of farmers’ groups Habagat and the Samahan ng Pinagkaisang Damdamin ng Barangay Quisumbing from Calaca and Lian, Batangas, respectively, and the jeepney driver who, together with 20 other members of the QRT, were on their way to Barangay Utod to monitor human-rights violations against civilians, amid the ongoing military operations of the PAF against members of the NPA in Nasugbu,” Palabay said.