Captured female insurgent faces murder raps

A woman captured during a recent clash between government troops and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Occidental Mindoro is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of an Army officer, military officials said Wednesday.

The Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division identified the suspect as Charleze Garzon, also known by the alias Ka Kaye. Garzon is an alumna of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and a former member of the theater group Panday Sining Malate, according to military reports.

The charge stems from a 29 March firefight in Sitio Salafay, Barangay Monteclaro. During the encounter, Capt. Dean Buen Oyando was killed and two other soldiers were wounded while pursuing a group of armed rebels.

Following the clash, the military recovered an M16 rifle, a hand grenade and components for an improvised explosive device.

Garzon is currently being held at the San Jose Municipal Police Station.

The military also issued a rebuke to several groups, including Karapatan Southern Tagalog, for publicly releasing Garzon’s identity and photograph online.

Col. Michael Aquino, spokesperson for the 2nd Infantry Division, said the Army had deliberately withheld that information to protect the suspect’s rights and dignity.

Aquino said the decision to remain silent on her identity was guided by operational procedures and humanitarian principles regarding the treatment of persons involved in armed conflict.

“Even if a person has taken up arms against the government, that does not mean we strip them of their basic rights and dignity,” Aquino said.

“As soldiers, we are duty-bound to respect human rights at all times,” he added.

He added that exposing sensitive personal information could place individuals and their families at risk, criticizing outside groups for prioritizing “propaganda” over the possible consequences to the suspect.

“It is concerning that while our troops chose restraint and respect for the individual’s rights, others were quick to publicize her identity,” Aquino said.

The 2nd Infantry Division urged the public to be discerning of information circulating online and expressed its commitment to following the rule of law as legal proceedings against Garzon move forward.