IN THE 1980s and the early part of the 1990s, the “Tora-Tora” war planes―the Japanese-made T-28D “Eagles”―were dropping 500-pound bombs above the dense forests and communities in the valleys of Marag, Paco and Zinundungan.
The Eagle was back in Northern Luzon on Thursday with more advanced capability and conducting bombing sorties in Malibcong, Abra.
Imelda Tabiando, head of the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance, at least four “Golden Eagle” (FA50) lead-in jet fighters had dropped 14 bombs in multiple sorties in Barangay Lat-ey where suspected fighters of the New People’s Army were allegedly sighted.
The FA50 jets are the newest aircraft acquisitions of the Armed Forces of the Philippines from the manufacturer Korean Aerospace Inc. of South Korea. The AFP bought a dozen of the aircraft worth P18.9 billion.
But Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate condemned the bombings by the Philippine Air Force as part of its intensified counterinsurgency operations following the collapse of the peace talks between the Duterte administration and the communists.
But early this week the negotiating panels of both parties had agreed to revive the peace talks. Zarate said the “indiscriminate bombings” in Malibcong was “part of the aerial support to the Army’s 24th Infantry Battalion otherwise known as Palparan Battalion after retired major general Jovito Palparan.
Palparan is among military officers facing criminal charges before a regional trial court in Bulacan for the abduction and disappearance of student-activists Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, both from the University of the Philippines Diliman.
THE OTHER SIDE. Supporters of the CPP-NPA-NDF hold a lightning rally on the 48th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Manila, saying the Armed Forces should support reopening the peace talks instead of engaging in war. Lino Santos
“The bombings also razed the forested part of Barangay Lat-ey and affected the farms, grazelands and rice fields of the Tingguians belonging to the Mabaka, Banao and Gubang tribes. Since yesterday morning, around 14 huge explosions were reported by residents in the area,” he said, citing reports from CHRA.
The bombing sorties also forced teachers to suspend classes and some families were affected.
“The CHRA said the AFP operations headed by Lt. Col. Dominic Baluga commenced last Monday, forcing Dep-ed to suspend the classes of public elementary and high school as the parents, adults and elders feared that children might be harmed,” Zarate said.
“An estimated 56 families, including close to 200 children, are reportedly affected in the villages of Malibcong.
“We are calling on President Duterte to rein in the military in displacing civilians and causing widespread destruction of property and trauma to the indigenous people in the area.
“Also, in line with the resumption of the GRP-NDF peace negotiations, the military should stop this rampage to have a more conducive atmosphere for the talks.”
http://thestandard.com.ph/news/top-stories/232035/korea-made-jets-deploy-for-bomb-runs-vs-npa.html
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