Army: ‘Legitimate’ encounter killed NDF consultant, pal

The Philippine Army said the National Democratic Front is merely pushing "propaganda" using the deaths of its consultant, Ericson Acosta and a peasant organizer on Wednesday.

PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said that the joint military forces of the 94th and 47th Infantry Battalions were engaged in a firefight with members of the New People's Army in Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental at 2 a.m. on 30 November.

"Based from the reports received from our ground forces, it was a legitimate encounter and pursuit operations that led to the death of the two communist NPA terrorists," Trinidad said.

"Your Army troops will always abide by the rules of law and respect in observing human rights and the international humanitarian law during incidents of armed conflict," he added.

However, NDF-Negros spokesperson Ka Bayani Obrero, in a statement, said Acosta and his companion were captured alive after a military operation.

Obrero said the two were only tagged as "casualties of a fake encounter" and were "victims" of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' "despicable policy of taking no prisoners in their counter-insurgency campaign."

"NDF Negros, in the strongest terms, condemns the 94th IB, 47th IB and top dogs of the 3rd ID for the summary execution of Ka Ericson and his companion," Obrero said.

He also underscored that Acosta just visited Kabankalan City to consult on the situation of farm workers in the southern Negros Occidental and share developments on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms.

The Army, on the other hand, denied the NDF's statements, saying they were killed in a 10 minutes firefight.

"The statements made by the NDF Negros are mere propaganda to besmirch the gallantry of our soldiers in protecting the people of Negros against the terrorist activities of the NPAs," Trinidad said.

Recovered from the dead bodies were KG9 with magazine and ammunition, Cal.45 Pistols with magazines and ammo, hand grenades, Bagong Hukbong Bayan and flags, mao caps, as well as subversive documents and lecture materials.