2nd IB Frantically Shooting Civilians

LEGAZPI CITY_Romero Octavo is a former NPA rebel who has decided to lay down his arms and pursue civilian life. From the time Romero settled as a civilian resident of Brgy Rawis in neighboring Jovellar town, he has since survived the daily struggles ordinary peasants confront.  As was his nature, he would assist fellow villagers in their daily endeavors, his efforts be in form of words or direct participation in farm labor. Apart from tending to his land, he joined gatherings that fight for the people’s rights, though this time on the legal front.

But Lt. Col. Andrew Costelo and his 2nd IB death squad denied Romero the chance of returning to civilian life. Costelo’s rabid adherence to AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Emmanuel Bautista's Oplan Bayanihan, being 901st Brigade’s former civil-military operations (CMO) chief, exposes the AFP’s vicious counter-insurgency campaign as being ultimately deadly to civilians. On February 11, Romero Octavo was never able to enjoy the small joys of a village dance, as he was mauled and shot to death by ten fully armed masked men believed to be Costelo’s soldiers. After mercillesly killing Romero Octavo, the murderers got on their motorcyles, in full death-squad fashion, and retreated to the direction of an army camp at nearby Brgy Halabang Puro.

Costelo’s lies  as a CMO implementer secretes from his pores  while he gloats on Oplan Bayanihan’s glorification as supposed peace and development for the people. With Octavo’s killing, Costelo seems to be saying that former NPA rebels have might as well remained hiding in the mountains, because apparently civilians are the primary targets of Oplan Bayanihan. Costelo’s perceptible reasoning in having Octavo killed is that civilians who are vocal in legally fighting for their rights might as well take up arms if only to defend themselves, because apparently Oplan Bayanihan virulently snaps on any sign of dissidence. This seems to be the logic Costelo wants to convey to the people of Albay.

With Lt. Col. Andrew Costelo and his 2nd IB frantically shooting civilians as if these were their armed opponents, peace based on justice would obviously be far-fetched in this province.#