The Army said the three were not maltreated when they were arrested.

CATARMAN, Northern Samar — The Northern Samar Provincial Police Office denies allegations of a human rights group that three suspected New People’s Army (NPA) arrested on last 3 October were subjected to torture.

Police Colonel Reynaldo de la Cruz, Northern Samar Police Provincial Director, said no single human rights violation has been committed against Rey Christian “Chan-Chan” Sabado, Anton Mañoso and Edwin Picson. He said the accusation is “malicious and fabricated.”

Human Rights group Katungod Northern Samar, a local chapter of Sinirangan Bisayas — Karapatan, earlier issued a statement denouncing alleged torture committed by soldiers from the 20th Infantry Battalion (IB) to extract information from the suspects regarding revolutionary movement in the province.

“Reports of additional torture and other forms of intimidation and coercion have reached our office, and upon conferral with the victims, were proven to be true,” according to a statement of the human rights group.

De la Cruz said immediately after they were turned over by Army soldiers of the 20th Infantry Battalion to their custody, the three suspected rebels were brought to the Northern Samar Provincial Hospital for medical examination.

“The result presented by Dr. Hannah Grace Lucero certifies that the three are essentially normal at the time of the medical examination,” says De la Cruz. “This result clearly belies the claim of Karapatan that suspects were tortured and harassed.”

The Philippine Army said the three were captured by operating troops from the 20th IB who were conducting security patrol to verify reports of extortion activities by NPA in three villages of Las Navas town. The three were reportedly caught carrying firearms, explosives and subversive documents.

The Army said the three were not maltreated when they were arrested. “This outright and patently malicious lies being propagated by this groups clearly shows that their only goal is to discredit the peace and security efforts of your Army,” a statement from the 20th IB said.

The military said that Sabado, one of the suspected NPA, is a student of Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa, Manila who failed to get his degree as he was recruited by the Sandigan ng Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan in PUP and eventually turned into a full-time NPA member.

It added that Sabado was sent by the Communist Party of the Philippines from Manila to help the propagation of “White Area operations” in Northern Samar.

According to the military, his two companions, Anton Mañoso alias Tito and Edwin Piczon alias Bunay are both members of NPA’s Yunit Milisya from Hinagonoyan, Catubig, Northern Samar who were tasked to escort Sabado to Brgy San Francisco in Las Navas, Northern Samar.

The documents seized from the three suspected rebels allegedly contain information that link NPA with the human rights group. It also included a list of business establishments that are said to be the target of extortion activities.