MURDER raps, as well as violations of International Human Rights Laws (IHL), await Jose Maria Sison and other Communists Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) leaders in light of the brutal killing of two minors and the serious wounding of two other civilians by NPA fighters in Northern Samar last week.

According to Brig. Gen. Joel Nacnac, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)’s Center for Law of Armed Conflict, Sison and top officials of the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) are liable as principals over the IHL principle of command responsibility being members of the hierarchy of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

In a virtual forum of the National Task Force to End Local Communists Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), Nacnac said they are also preparing charges of frustrated murder and attempted murder against Sison and company for the victims who survived the NPA attacks.

He said CTG leaders are also liable under the Republic Act (RA) 9851 or the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, aside from the murder charges for the death of two minors, a 12-year-old boy who died on the spot and another 13-year-old boy while being treated at the hospital.

Meanwhile, Undersecretary Lorraine Marie Badoy NTF-ELCAC spokesperson for Social Media Affairs and Sectoral Concerns, said the fight against CTGs should be carried out by all peace-loving Filipinos who should not vote for KABAG or the Makabayan Bloc Partylists group who are “the protector (of CTGs) in Congress.”

“Magsanib pwersa tayong lahat para matapos ito (CTGs atrocities),” Badoy said.

Col Perfecto Peñaredondo, 803rd Brigade Commander, narrated that the incident happened when Army troopers were sent to the outskirt of Barangay Roxas in Catubig, Northern Samar on the afternoon of February 8, 2022, to check on reported extortion activities of CTGs in the area.

While on their way, the soldiers chanced upon a group of young boys about to gather some copra products and told them to stay behind the army formation.

However, the troops were ambushed by the NPAs.

Even in the presence of civilians, the communist NPA terrorists according to Peñaredondo, still fired shots indiscriminately no matter who will get hit.

This resulted to the death of two innocent minors later identified as Andre Mercado, 12, and Leandro Alivio, 13.

Nacnac said that the NPA terrorists clearly violated RA 9851 and the IHL principles in launching an attack that caused incidental loss of civilians. “It is not only violations of our common laws on murder and homicide but the IHL and human rights laws,” Nacnac explained.

He added that the leaders of the CPP-NPA-NDF will be “equally accountable” for the deaths of the civilians during the incidents.

Vanessa Marie Yaoyao, President of Kabataan Kontro Droga at Terorismo (KKDAT) in Caraga condemned the NPA terrorists for their “dastardly act” and seek indemnification for the victims.

Yaoyao likened the incident to the NPA terrorists’ murder of Severino Alvarez, the father of their colleague John Harold who was left with 13 siblings to take care of, as their mother died earlier because of an illness.

“Di lang nila inulila, sinira pa nila ang future” Yaoyao said, referring to the children of Alvarez.