NPA metes death to MP thug, military agent

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LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (Jan. 10) — Applying swift justice, Mountain Province-based New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas under the Leonardo Pacsi Command meted the death penalty to militiaman Ben Tilyas on Monday, January 8 after he was allegedly found to have “committed crimes against the people and the revolutionary movement”.

Tilyas, a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) under the Bravo Company of the Philippine Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), was “punished” by the NPA-Mountain Province in Kin-iway, Besao, Mt Province, “serving revolutionary justice for the people of Besao and Quirino, Ilocos Sur”.

Speaking in behalf of the NPA Command, former government engineer turned rebel leader Simon “Ka Filiw” Naogsan said Tilyas, a resident of sitio Dandanac, Barangay Tamboan, also in Besao, “routinely stole chickens, palay grains, tilapia from fishponds and other properties, depriving and further impoverishing the already poor peasants of their meager food and sources of income.”

“He was bereft of any compassion toward his victims, which included even his own relatives, and who were as poor as he was,” the rebel leader said.

Naogsan explained, “the revolutionary people’s court, with representatives from revolutionary mass organizations, the Party (CPP) and the Army (NPA) unanimously decided that Tilyas deserved the death penalty, and ordered the NPA to carry out the decision.”

Village thug

Barangay officials and elders in Tilyas community heard his cases several times, the Cordillera Peoples Democratic Front spokesperson said. The elders and kakailian (villagemates) pleaded with him to change his ways but to no avail. At one time, he reportedly stole 20 cavans of palay grains in Tamboan. He allegedly ransacked a store also in Tamboan. He stole a cow in Sitio Bab-asig, Brgy. Patiacan, Quirino, Ilocos Sur, the CPDF statement said. “A unit of the NPA’s Mountain Province command actually stumbled upon him butchering this cow last February 2006,” Naogsan added.

Tilyas, Naogsan said, was warned by the NPA to stop his criminal activities or face dire consequences. He was even ordered to surrender himself to the community dap-ay (indigenous socio political system where village issues are discussed by village elders) so that the case can be settled between Dandanac and Bab-asig. “Sadly, Tilyas ignored this warning and order,” Naogsan said.

Crimes vs rebel movement

Shortly before joining the CAFGU, Naogsan narrated, Tilyas served as a paid active intelligence agent of the military feeding false and malicious information to the military, endangering innocent civilians as targets of military operations. “As a CAFGU, he actively guided troops of the 54 th IB & 50th SRC (Special Rifle Company) during military operations severely affecting the communities of Agawa, Dandanac, Tamboan and Banaao, all in Besao town.

Naogsan further said that sometime in July 2006, illegal searches were made at night in some Dandanac houses that Tilyas accused of hiding NPA fighters or firearms. The village’s rice field areas and hunting grounds have been bombed and strafed by machine gun, Naogsan added. Mike Uyad, a youth from Agawa, was reportedly killed by operating troops guided by Tilyas in July 2006.

Tilyas had accordingly spread intrigue by pointing out alleged NPA elements and sympathizers. “His village-mates tried to dissuade him from spreading rumors and maliciously feeding the military with fabricated information, but because their pleas fell on deaf ears, the community finally declared that he exiled from the village.”

Naogsan insisted that they sent him warnings. “His punishment was necessary in order to stop him from committing further crimes against the people and the revolutionary movement,” he said. The fate of Tilyas, he explained, “should serve as a warning to all criminals and individuals who are allowing themselves to be used by the military.”

He further warned that the NPA will not hesitate to mete out revolutionary punishment against such criminals and counter-revolutionary elements.

As of press time the military has not released any statement about Tilyas’ killing. # Ace Alegre for NORDIS