Witnesses to ‘Inopacan Massacre’ surface
'Bayan Muna' link to CPP-NPA-NDF also confirmed
A COMMUNIST couple from Leyte province who decided to surrender to the authorities have revealed the link of the partylist, ‘Bayan Muna’ to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) while also providing more details to the despicable ‘Inopacan Massacre’ committed by the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA) that took place in the second part of the ‘80s.
According to the press statement of the 8TH Infantry Division, couple ‘Jerry’ and ‘Dalia’ (true name withheld for their own protection), walked into the headquarters of the 14th Infantry Battalion last August 17, 2021, in Bgy. Uguis, Mahaplag, and confirmed they are former members of the NPA and “lie-low” local leaders of Bayan Muna.
An interview conducted by the command disclosed that in 1993, the couple, along with some 200 NPA members and supporters had previously ‘surrendered’ to the government in their desire to live a peaceful life.
Jerry said he was the medical officer of Squad 1, 5th District Guerrilla Unit, Front Guerrilla Unit operating in Southern Leyte from 1986 to 1992 and later, as Bayan Muna-Mahaplag Municipal Chairman from 2001 to 2004.
On the other hand, Dalia bared she was the finance officer of the same front guerrilla unit from 1986 to 1992 and a Bayan Muna organizer in Mahaplag from 2001 to 2004.
The date of the massacre coincides with Jerry and Dalia’s active membership with the CPP-NPA.
In 1993, the couple with a group of some 200 members and supporters of the NPA yielded to the local officials of Mahaplag, the military statement added.
“In reality, Jerry and Dalia have long wanted to abandon the violent life of communist terrorism. “Having seen enough violence including the infamous Inopacan Massacre in their six-year active involvement with the CPP-NPA-NDF, from 1986 to 1992,” the Army division added.
The massacre and its aftermath
The Inopacan Massacre got its name after the local CPP-NPA followed the directive of their leaders to conduct a massive “purging” of their ranks to “ferret out” suspected government informers. In the Visayas, the mass killing fell under the CPP’s so-called ‘Oplan Venereal Disease’ and victimized some 300 people, the military estimated.
Sometime in May 1985, the terrorist group herded the residents of Bgy. Caluisihan and those in nearby villages from the town of Inopacan and brought to Mt. Sapangdaku, where they were all first tortured and subsequently murdered en masse.
It was only in 2006 that government troops, based on information provided by other NPA ‘surrenderees’ and surviving local residents managed to dug up the first mass grave of the victims containing some 67 bodies (other reports say it was 80 bodies; see also Pinoy Expose post of August 16, 2020— ‘Why PH is on top of the Global Terror Index’).
The massacre is the single worst CPP violation of human rights and international humanitarian that the government has thus far documented.
On the other hand, the CPP officially branded the massacre as “fake” despite its top leaders headed by party founder Jose Maria Sison, being formally charged in court and a warrant for their arrest already issued since August 28, 2019 by Hon. Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of Branch 32, Manila Regional Trial Court.
Aside from Sison, 37 other CPP personalities have been accused by the government of having a hand in the massacre, among them:
Luis Jalandoni, Rodolfo Salas, Leo Velasco, Jose Luneta, and Prudencio Calubid; Eduardo Sarmiento, former priest Nick Ruiz, and Sison’s wife Juliet.
Geronimo Pasetes, Francisco Pascual, Jr., Mil Lominion, Fortunato Felicilda, Benjamin Beringel, Qurino Quinawayan, Fernando Rachel, Pecario Sonana, Jesus Solayao, Felomino ‘Jun’ Salazar;
Alfredo Taladro, Tito Gabar, Muco Lubong, Felix Dumali, Ciriaca Malimot, Luzviminda Orillo, Anselmo Balduhesa, Alfredo Mabingay, Bertino Oroza, Bonifacio Padoc, Rodrigo Papiona, Prescillono Beringel, Anastacio Dorias, Sammy Labarda, Charlie Fortaliza, Luis Villena, Rolando Caballera, Donata Lambrento and, Luz Abejo.
No option but to surrender
But while already living a peaceful life after their surrender in 1993, the couple bared that sometime in 2001, they were approached by one ‘Jun Salazar,’ a resident of Inopacan and Bayan Muna Leyte provincial coordinator.
“Salazar designated Jerry as Bayan Muna municipal coordinator and tasked the couple to organize the farmers and the workers in the area, and to lead them in strikes and anti-government rallies until they went on lie-low in 2004,” the military added.
Salazar and a certain Dario Tomada, a peasant leader-organizer from Ormoc City, told them to instruct the organized masses to vote for Bayan Muna during the May 2001 election.
The military said the couple could be referring to Felomino Salazar, Jr., a resident of Inopacan, who was earlier arrested in connection with the criminal charges filed against him as participant in the Inopacan Massacre.
No longer wanting to join the terrorist group, the couple further told the military that in 2004, they were forced to go into hiding, leaving behind their family and settled in Bohol province in the hope of avoiding further contact with the CPP and its front group, Bayan Muna.
But aware that this would be near-impossible, the couple then decided to again surrender to the Philippine Army, according to B/Gen. Zosimo Oliveros, commander, 802nd Division. 8th ID.
of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade.
“Their formal surrender is very much welcome as it would afford us the golden opportunity to help them,” Oliveros said
“Moreover, the revelations of the couple gave credence to allegations on the link between the
CPP-NPA and Bayan Muna,” he added.
