MIM Notes 194      September 15, 1999

U$-backed Philippines army massacres Mawab Four

On August 2, 1999, elements of the Armed Forces of the 
Philippines, with the help of turncoats and spies, arrested two 
comrades of the New People's Army, Ka Paking (Godofredo 
Guimbaolibot) and Rodolfo "Ka JR" Jubahib. They were arrested 
along with two civilians who were riding in the same pick-up, 
Edwin Asion, and Mariano Diamante. Before the arrest the soldiers 
forcibly detained several other civilians and ordered them to 
divulge information about the movements of the NPA and Ka Paking 
in particular. These civilians refused to cooperate. But when the 
truck carrying Ka Paking and the others approached a military 
checkpoint, a former NPA fighter turned military asset named 
"Jerry" fingered Ka Paking.

According to witnesses, Ka Paking immediately raised his hands and 
gave up his pistol, saying, "I cannot do anything, sir. I 
surrender." His companions also peacefully surrendered.

Seven hours later, the local police from Mawab town discovered 
their lifeless bodies. All four were bruised and bloodied. 
According to the investigation of the human rights group 
KARAPATAN, "Guim-baolibot's head bore a huge hole on the upper 
part," "Diamante bore gunshot wounds at the left ear," Asion's 
face was cut and Jubahib had multiple gunshot wounds. The military 
claims Ka Paking tried to grab a captor's gun. However, given his 
willing surrender of his own weapon, the fact that the military 
burned the area where the killings took place, the time lapse 
between arrest and the delivery of the bodies, and other 
inconsistencies, this explanation is preposterous. The AFP 
soldiers clearly summarily executed the Mawab four.

These murders are not exceptional. The NPA fighter Myra Algarme 
was shot to death while bathing on January 17, 1999. (Algarme was 
the young womyn interviewed in the video, "The Golf War.") Domingo 
Baluncio and Ricardo Ilustre were also summarily executed after 
surrendering to the AFP. These killings contradict the 
government's own pledge to abide by the Geneva Convention, which 
precludes summary killing of prisoners of war.

The terrible treatment NPA fighters receive at the hands of their 
u.$.-trained enemy contrasts sharply with the treatment government 
soldiers receive from the NPA. Since NPA fighters began a series 
of tactical offensives last year, they captured many government 
soldiers, including a general. All were fairly treated, well-fed, 
given adequate medical treatment, and not beaten. And many spoke 
fondly of their captors, whom they came to see as truly dedicated 
to improving the lives of Filipinos. Small wonder many policemen 
and soldiers defect to the NPA.

Note: Fact Finding Mission Report, Task Force Mawab Four, 
KARAPATAN-Davao, available at: www.geocities.com/~cpp-
ndf/index.htm.