AFP spokesperson says military did not torture, kill rebel leaders

THE military has denied reports that Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were allegedly tortured and killed by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

“Who is Marco Valbuena? He is a fictitious person telling fictitious stories to deceive our people,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar, quoted by GMA News, said.

“That’s how I describe ‘its’ (I cannot use he or she in referring to a ‘digital person’) press release and we are happy that our people today are well aware of the truth to believe its poisonous tongue,” he added.

In a separate statement, Aguila said the CPP’s allegations are “propaganda” and an “attempt to deceive” Filipinos, GMA News further reported. “Their allegations of capture and torture are part of their propaganda and an attempt to deceive the Filipino people.”

Aguilar added that what happened in the August 2022 operation “was a legitimate encounter acting on information that VIPs of CPP- NPA were escaping from ongoing military operations.”

The AFP also added that the admission of the CPP that its ranking leaders, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, were killed last year in an encounter with patrolling military troops highlights the government’s success against fugitives.

“The recent CPP-NPA-NDF’s ( New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) declaration of the demise of the Tiamzon couple, if indeed true, was the success of government operations against the fugitives of the law, as they confirmed in their statement that these personalities have important positions in the CTG (communist terrorist group) organization,” Aguilar said in a statement Friday.

He added that the AFP has long suspected of the couple’s demise following an encounter with government troops in the waters of Catbalogan City, Samar in August 2022 but could not confirm it due to lack of evidence.

However, Aguilar said CPP allegations that the AFP captured and tortured the Tiamzons before killing them is but propaganda and an attempt to deceive the public.

“Their allegations of capture and torture are part of their propaganda and an attempt to deceive the Filipino people. What happened in August 2022 operation was a legitimate encounter acting on information that VIPs of CPP-NPA were escaping from ongoing military operations,” he said.

Aguilar said the AFP maintains that the operation succeeded, with the CPP-NPANDF’s confirmation of their casualties, which included the Tiamzons.