ICHRP Condemns Killing Of Jerick Jugal In Northern Samar

November 19, 2024

According to Philippine rights group Karapatan (Alliance for Advancement of People’s Rights), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) killed Jerick Jugal, a resident of Barangay Sulitan, Catubig, Northern Samar, along with another individual on November 5, 2024 in Catubig. As in many other cases, the AFP falsely claimed that Jugal was a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel and died in an encounter between the 20th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) and the NPA. Witnesses confirm that there was no “encounter”—this was a murder and a war crime.

Jugal’s fellow villagers confirm that he is a civilian and his family’s sole breadwinner. Residents of Barangay Sulitan and surrounding communities moreover assailed the restrictions imposed by the 20th IBPA, led by Lt. Col. Richard Villaflor, on the villagers, who are reportedly prohibited from leaving their homes to engage in their livelihoods and going to the town center to buy food and other needed items.

“ICHRP condemns the killing of Jerick in the strongest terms. The killing of Jerick leaves the family not only in deep grief but also in greater danger of hunger,” said ICHRP Chairperson, Peter Murphy. “The tagging of a civilian as a member of the NPA is yet another example of the attempts of state forces in the Philippines to cover up their violations of international humanitarian law, as well as key agreements in the peace talks such as the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.”

“The US-supported counterinsurgency program of the Philippine government has already been unmasked before the international community as a vicious scheme that perpetuates killings and attacks against poor Filipinos, especially peasants and indigenous people. Foreign governments must act now to end all military aid to the AFP and pressure the Marcos regime to put a stop to ongoing war crimes” said Murphy.

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