Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., Southern Luzon Command chief
MANILA – Far Eastern University football player Kieth Absalon and his cousin Nolven were shot dead by the New People's Army (NPA) shortly after they were severely wounded by the anti-personnel mine (APM) blast detonated by communist terrorists in Masbate on June 6.
Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) chief, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., made the confirmation during the June 14 episode of "Tagged: Debunking Lies by Telling the Truth".
"I just came from Masbate last Saturday and I was able to visit and talk to the family members of the Absalons. So yes, it was confirmed that Kieth, according to his companions, was killed not only because of the blast, the anti-personnel mine (APM) but because of the assault," he added.
Parlade said the cousins were shot dead by NPA rebels after they were hit by an APM explosion while biking with relatives in Barangay Anas.
He added that this statement is based on the four other survivors who were lagging in the back and witnessed firsthand the brutal attack against Kieth and Nolven.
"Iyong apat na huli sa likod kaya (the four were behind) they were able to witness what was happening in front of them. So si Kieth humingi na ng tawad sa NPA para hindi na siya patayin pero tinuluyan siya kaya may tama siya sa mata (Kieth begged for forgiveness from his NPA attackers so that they will not kill him but they still finished him off with a gunshot in the eye). Whereas, Nolven was actually nakadapa na siya but tinataas niya iyong kaniyang kamay pero tinuluyan siya ng NPA so may tatlong tama siya ng bala sa likod (Nolven was sprawled on the ground, but he still managed to raise his hands but he was still killed by the NPA. He had three gunshot wounds in the back)," Parlade said.
The manner how NPA rebels killed the two is still unacceptable to the families of the victims, he added.
Parlade said the NPAs who attacked and killed the Absalon cousins are still there and being sheltered by members of the communities in Barangay Anas and Bolo thus, the relentless police and military operations in the area.
Seized guns
"And by the way, iyong mga armas noong dose sa kanila ay nakamkam na natin (we already seized the weapons of around 12 of them)," he added.
He said members of the "Sentro de Grabidad" led by one "Ka Star" or Allan Rosero are still in the area.
"We hope that we will be able to get these people at maiwasan na nila na makatakas dito sa mga karatig na bayan or na isla (and they will be prevented from escaping to nearby towns or islands)," Parlade said.
Identical APMs
He revealed that the recovered communist terrorist APMs in Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Masbate are identical and made of metal, cables, nails cut into pieces, and ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil.
Being crudely made, he said it is impossible for this type of APMs to target a specific part of the body, adding that once it explodes, it sprays shrapnel and fragments in all directions.
"How can they choose the specific part of the body for instance, if they only want to maim the individuals, parang shotgun ito, hindi mamimili kung saan ka tatamaan, kung sa ulo, sa puso, sa paa (this is like a shotgun, it does not pick or choose where you will be hit, be it in the head, heart or foot)," he added. ‘They are poor man’s bomb but very lethal.”
Due to these horrific weapons, Parlade said there are already 12 civilian casualties in Masbate alone, with four dead including Kieth and Noven.
He said since the NPAs are badly hurt by the series of surrenders, communist terrorists are using APMs to show that they still exist.
"Actually, sa totoo lang 170 na ang na-surrender dito sa loob ng SOLCOM area, napakadami ng NPA ang nag-surrender (Actually, around 170 NPAs have surrendered within the SOLCOM area. Last Friday alone 47 ang nag-surrender (47 have surrendered) dito sila nasasaktan (they are being hurt by these surrenders) and the only way for them really to show that they still exist is through this landmine (APM)," he added.
This is the reason, he said, that government security troops need to pursue and neutralize the NPA so that they will not kill any more Kieth and Nolven in the future.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
