The Armed Forces of the Philippines strongly condemned the recent Negros Occidental ambush that killed nine people and wounded nine others, calling it a clear violation of the human rights agreement signed by the communist New People's Army, who is suspected to be behind the attack.
Of the nine fatalities, eight were civilians while one was a policeman.
"This attack on non-combatants is clearly another violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law they signed," military spokesman Col. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos said in a statement released Monday.
The CAHR-IHL is an agreement signed in 1998 by the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), the political arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. The NPA is the armed wing of the CPP.
Killing or injuring civilians is among the prohibited acts under the agreement.
"Moreover, they continue to capitalize on soft targets, often resolving to inhumane tactics including the use of Improvised Explosive Devices, conduct of ambuscades, extortion activities, and sabotage of vital economic facilities," Burgos said.
He said that despite peace initatives, the NPA continues to breach past ceasefire declarations and engage in armed violence.
Government forces have since been deployed to go after the attackers.
But Burgos stressed that the AFP and Philippine National Police (PNP) "will strictly follow the rules of engagement and will respect and promote human rights" as they conduct pursuit operations against the attackers.
Peace talks between the government and the NDFP remain stalled since August 2004. — Amanda Lago/RSJ, GMA News
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