THE Human Right Watch (HRW) condemned on Monday the killing of three rebels following a “sham trial” conducted by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Negros Occidental under its so-called “revolutionary justice” meted against “enemies of the people.”
In a news statement, the HRW said the three NPA rebels were executed for offenses, such as spying for the military and common crimes such as rape.
The HRW said the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, claimed that the allegations against the men were “submitted before the people’s court” and that it held an “in-depth investigation and trial.”
NPA’s Roselyn Jean Pelle Command, in a statement, identified those executed as Benjamin Javoc, 54, chairman of the Lalong village in the town of Calatrava, Negros Occidental; Renato Estrebillo, 43, laborer from Calatrava; and Rodel Nobleza, 37, from another village in Calatrava, Javoc was accused of protecting drug dealers within and nearby barangays and for being an active military asset.
Estrebillo, on the other hand, was executed after he was accused of “tipping off” soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion in the province that led to a military operation where two children were injured and one civilian was arrested.
He was also accused of stealing farm products and animals.
On the other hand, Nobleza was accused of providing information to the army that led to a raid on the town in April 2019 that resulted in the deaths of two NPA members and a civilian.
The NPA claimed he was also a drug dealer. The three were executed on different occasions last August.
The HRW said the group did not provide details about the trials, raising concerns about whether the men were provided adequate representation, or had an opportunity to present a defense.
“The New People’s Army has a long history of executing people following trials that don’t meet the most basic standards of fairness,” Carlos Conde, senior Philippine researcher for HRW, said.
“The sparse information provided by the armed group about these recent executions suggests that once again, the most severe punishments were inflicted without any regard for fundamental precepts of international law,” he added.
The HRW said it sent several emails and messages to the NPA requesting information about the conduct of the trials and executions, but received no substantive response.
However, media reports that could not be corroborated indicated that the three men were not in NPA custody at the time of their executions, suggesting that they might not have been able to defend themselves during their trials.
Javoc reportedly was shot in his home while Estrebillo was shot as he was stepping out of his house. Nobleza, on the other hand, was allegedly killed after suspected rebels stopped him while riding a motorcycle with two children.
Human Rights Watch has previously denounced unlawful killings and other abuses by the group that violate international humanitarian law that may amount to war crimes.
It stressed that as a party to an internal armed conflict, the NPA is obligated to abide by international humanitarian law, including Common Article 3 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and its Second Additional Protocol of 1977 (Protocol II), to which the Philippines is also a party.
International humanitarian law prohibits the summary killing or mistreatment of civilians in custody or captured combatants and punishments after proceedings that do not meet international fair trial standards.
Protocol II specifies that courts prosecuting criminal offenses related to the armed conflict must be independent and impartial and the accused shall have “all necessary rights and means of defense,” among other guarantees.