MORE than a month after the death of cousins Kieth and Nolvin Absalon last June 6, 2021, during an attack by the New People’s Army, the armed terrorist wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA) in Masbate province, more facts have come out that proved, beyond reasonable doubt, that they were deliberately targeted for assassination by the NPA on that fateful and tragic day.
Lt. General Antonio ‘Jun’ Parlade, Southern Luzon (Solcom) area commander, in a talk with Pinoy Exposé, said that contrary to the earlier narrative by the mainstream media and even by the CPP-NPA that the Absalons were ‘accidental victims’ of a bomb—intended for the police and military personnel in the area—that the NPA planted at the road in Coastal Road, Purok 4, Bgy. Anas, Masbate City, and which then exploded while the victims were having a bike ride, the facts now show that they were, all along, the real target for an ambush by the terrorists.
Parlade said that while Kieth, Nolvin and the latter’s 16-years old son were still several meters away from the ambush site, two riding-in-tandem (RIT), unidentified men stopped in front of them, pointed at the two then sped away.
Somewhat puzzled by the behavior but still unsuspecting, the Absalons just continued on to their journey.
“’Yung tumigil na motorsiklo, mga ‘spotter’ pala ng NPA kaya hindi totoo na ‘biktima’ lang sina Kieth at Nolvin. Tinarget talaga sila,” the military official said.
“’Yung tumigil na motorsiklo, mga ‘spotter’ pala ng NPA kaya hindi totoo na ‘biktima’ lang sina Kieth at Nolvin. Tinarget talaga sila,” the military official said.
After the public outcry over the incident that saw a bloody end to an otherwise promising career as a national athlete for Kieth (he was a member of the FEU Varsity Team and also a ‘most valuable player’ in the local football scene), the CPP, on June 8, 2021, issued a “sincere” public apology to the Absalon family, promising “indemnity” and “punishment” to the “local NPA unit” who attacked the three unarmed civilians—if they were found ‘guilty’ by their kangaroo court.
As of this time, however, the CPP and its front organizations in and out of Congress, refused to surrender those involved, claiming the criminals are subject to the party’s own rules and regulations.
The CPP also want the Absalon family to first lodge their complaint to the already non-existent, ‘Joint Monitoring Committee’ (JMC), established by the government and the CPP, thru the National Democratic Front (NDF) during the effectivity of the peace process.
The peace process, however, formally ended in 2019 and along with it, the effectivity of all previous agreements and mechanisms created under it.
The suspicion that there was “something wrong” with the narrative of the CPP and its allies in the media began to take shape since it issued its apology when it was established that not only were the Absalons blasted by the terrorists but, they were also shot at close range.
The fact that the two were shot was borne out by the autopsy conducted on them that stated they died from “hemorrhagic shock due to gunshot wound and blast injuries.”
Kieth, only 21, years old, was shot in the face with the bullet entering his right eye; Nolvin, 38, was shot on the shoulder and on his right thigh.
Further investigation by the authorities, Parlade said, now also established that contrary to the impression that the Absalons were first blasted by the NPA bomb and then shot at close range, the two were actually flagged down by the terrorists, and then shot at close range.
“There was a brief chase because the victims were trying to run away from their captors but the NPA easily caught up with them and they were shot at close range.
The bomb was exploded by the NPA before leaving the scene of the crime after realizing that there would be no police or Army reaction to the incident.
Parlade said the entire event was witnessed by Nolven’s 16-years old son who was also shot and wounded by the terrorists but luckily survived.
He said the Absalons were killed by the NPA for being “very vocal” in telling Masbateños, especially the youth, not to join any group identified with the CPP-NPA.
“Hinanting sila ng NPA kasi palagi nilang sinasabihan ang kanilang mga kababayan na huwag sumali sa mga organisasyon na itinayo ng mga ito” (they were hunted down by the NPA because they were vocal in dissuading their provincemates not to join NPA-created groups).
Instead of joining CPP front organizations, the Absalons, Parlade said, encouraged the youngsters of Masbate to join them during their bike rides.
Aside from the survivor from the ambush, Parlade said other witnesses also stated that after ‘capturing’ the Absalons, the terrorists even taunted them before shooting them saying, ‘oh, ano kayo ngayon?’ (so, what are you now).
Parlade said what happened to the Absalons also put to the lie the CPP propaganda assailing the government for allegedly clamping down on dissent and muzzling the people’s right to freedom of expression.
“Palagi nila (CPP) binabatikos ang gobyerno na sinisikil ang karapatan ng publiko na magpahayag ng kanilang damdamin, pero sa kanila pala, kapag kumontra ka, papatayin ka.”