Karapatan using NegOr incident to sow hate vs. gov’t: Palace

FILE: Presidential Spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo holds a press briefing for the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) on Monday, November 26, 2018, at the New Executive Building (NEB) in Malacañang. (Photo: Office of the Presidential Spokesperson/Facebook)

MANILA — Malacañang on Friday night slammed rights group Karapatan’s recent remarks that the government committed summary execution during the incident in Negros Oriental last week.

“We find it unfortunate that Karapatan and other interest groups are using the incident in Negros Oriental to sow hate and spread fear towards our duly constituted authorities,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo urged the public not to be swayed by leftist propaganda.

“We urge the public not to be swayed by leftist propaganda, especially those stemming from groups linked with the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army, designed to stigmatize each and every operation of our law enforcers intended to protect the general welfare and safety of the Filipino people,” he said.

Panelo reiterated that the police officers were there to conduct legitimate operations.

“Authorities were implementing search warrants that were duly issued by competent courts. In separate police operations, fourteen residents died when they fought with the law enforcers who were just implementing the search orders of the said local courts,” he said.

Panelo also defended Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde amid calls for the latter to resign.

“There is absolutely no basis in fact and in law for the PNP Chief, General Oscar Albayalde, to resign. General Albayalde has even acted objectively by relieving administratively ranking officers from their posts just to pave the way for a thorough and impartial investigation free from any possible undue influence and to determine whether lapses were made during the conduct of these operations,” he said.

Panelo said the government welcomes any investigation on the incident.

Karapatan is one of the groups allegedly acting as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA as identified by the Philippine government.

A team from the PNP national headquarters arrived in Negros Oriental on Thursday to investigate circumstances behind the death of 14 farmers in simultaneous police operations.

The CPP-NPA has been listed as a terrorist organization by the United States government and the European Union. (EJR/PNA)