“It is a reprehensible, premeditated act designed to preempt the peace negotiations that clearly exposes the innate warmongering character of the AFP which continues to kowtow the AFP-US Aquino’s fascist Oplan Bayanihan,” Rubi del Mundo, spokesperson of NDF-Southern Mindanao Region, said.
By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat
MANILA — A 60-year-old New People’s Army (NPA) commander, Eduardo “Ka Lando” Genelsa, was arrested by combined forces of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, the 46th Infantry Battalion, police and intelligence operatives in sitio Sangi, brgy.Bongabong, Pantukan, Compostela Valley, June 29.
In a statement sent to Bulatlat, the National Democratic Front-Southern Mindanao said the arrest “is an attempt by the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] to sabotage President Duterte and the revolutionary movement’s mutual efforts towards the peace process.”
Last month, the NDFP and then incoming members of the government peace panel held informal talks in Oslo and agreed to resume formal peace talks in the third week of this month.
“It is a reprehensible, premeditated act designed to preempt the peace negotiations that clearly exposes the innate warmongering character of the AFP which continues to kowtow the AFP-US Aquino’s fascist Oplan Bayanihan,” Rubi del Mundo, spokesperson of NDF-Southern Mindanao Region, said.
Del Mundo said Genelsa was in Pantukan “to unite the mass base on the upcoming peace talks, and on the proper conduct of the people’s democratic government and revolutionary forces when the proposed ceasefire agreement takes effect.”
The NDF-Southern Mindanao added that Genelsa has been tasked to conduct investigation of certain druglord operations in the vicinities as per instruction by the NPA higher command in line with the revolutionary movement’s parallel efforts against druglords, and criminal syndicates operating in collusion with some military units and officials in the area.
Genelsa was also in the area to look into peoples’ complaints against the US- owned mining corporation St Augustine Gold & Copper Ltd. which, according to the NDF, has been encroaching into the small-scale mining and peasant areas of Pantukan.
The NDF-Southern Mindanao demands the unconditional and immediate release of Genelsa.
Del Mundo also condemned the military’s continuing “human rights violations,” including the extrajudicial killing of four civilians, the torture and summary killing of two NPA hors de combat, the arrest and illegal detention of 17 more hapless civilians, and filing of trumped up charges against leaders of progressive organizations. The NDF spokesperson noted that all of these happened amid the efforts of the Duterte administration, the NDFP, and the Filipino people to resume the long-derailed peace negotiations. 
