2021 Masbate City blast

Keith Absalon, a collegiate footballer who played for the FEU Tamaraws in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and his cousin, Nolven, were killed when they ran over an explosive, reportedly a landmine or an improvised explosive device, that was set up by the New People's Army (NPA) in June 2021 in Masbate City, Philippines.

2021 Masbate City blast
Part of the ongoing communist rebellion in the Philippines
DateJune 8, 2021
LocationAnas, Masbate City, Philippines
Deaths2 (Keith and Nolven Absalon)
Non-fatal injuries1
Arrests1
Suspects24
Chargesmurder / frustrated murder

Background

Victims

Keith Absalon, one of the victims of the blast, is a Filipino footballer who has played for the Philippine national team which participated in the 2018 AFF U-19 Youth Championship in Indonesia. A midfielder, he was also a player of Malaya FC and the Far Eastern University (FEU) varsity football team. He was named as Most Valuable player for FEU in the junior division in UAAP Season 78. he was a starter for the senior team in UAAP Season 82 which was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was also a recipient of the Super Kid Award which was conferred by the Philippine Olympic Committee in 2017.[1][2]

Keith's cousin Nolven Absalon also died from the blast while the latter's 16-year old son sustained injuries.[3] The two Absalons who died were laid to rest at the Nursery Cemetery in Masbate City on June 13, 2021.[4]

Explosive used

The explosive involved in the incident is unclear; the bomb used is interchangeably described as a landmine, an anti-personnel mine (APM), or as an improvised explosive device (IED).[5][6][7] The National Democratic Front of the Philippines denounced unspecific characterization by the military of the explosive involved as anti-personnel mine without any qualifier; saying that the NPA only used command-detonated landmines, which required to be manually activated, which the group insist are "legitimate tools of warfare".[7]

Incident

Keith and Nolven Absalon along with their family and relatives were cycling to Barangay B. Titong in the Masbate City proper on June 6, 2021. At Purok 4 in Barangay Anas of the same city, a bomb planted by the New People's Army (NPA) exploded killing Keith and Nolven Absalon and injuring the latter's 16-year old son.[8] According to a police report, a witness said that the explosion was "followed by a series of gunshots".[9]

The death certificate of the two victims indicate that they died of hemorrhagic shock with the underlying case as "gunshot wounds and blast injuries".[9]

According to the Romulo Jallores and Jose Rapsing Commands of the NPA, the planted explosive was part of their offensive against government forces and did not intend to harm the Absalons.[10]

Aftermath

Response

The New People's Army (NPA) issued a statement apologizing for the "unnecessary and unintended" deaths of Keith and Nolven Absalon.[10] The Absalons rejected the apology.[11] The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, as well as the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) urged the NPA to surrender those who were involved in the incident so that they could be tried in court.[12][13][14] The CHR also condemned the NPA saying the use of landmine violates international humanitarian law and launched its own investigation on the incident.[15] The NPA has refused to surrender those responsible from the blast, insisting that the organization has authority over their members.[16]

The Makabayan bloc of the House of Representatives condemned the blast which they characterize as a "military action" by the NPA while also welcoming the communist group's apology saying they are looking forward to "full and impartial investigation into the incident". They also urged the victims of the blast to file complaint to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) which deals with cases on alleged non-compliance of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NPA, or the government and its security forces on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL). It also called for the "full reactivation" of the JMC and the resumption of peace talks between the Philippine government and the CPP-NPA citing "The Absalons' deaths and the rising number of CARHRIHL violations by the PNP-AFP".[17]

The DILG in response to the Makabayan bloc's statements, said that the JMC has long been defunct for years already and said the Makabayan bloc is misleading the Absalons. The department also urged the Makabayan bloc and its allies to pressure the NPA to surrender those who were responsible for the blast and to condemn the group for their production and usage of anti-personnel mines.[18] The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process also rejected the Makabayan bloc's calls for the resumption of peace talks, saying that the localized peace negotiations and "whole-of-nation" approach of the national government to the Communist rebellion is already working.[19]

Hermogenes Esperon Jr., speaking as the vice chairman of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), concluded that the NPA really intended to kill Keith Absalon, due to his popularity as an athlete and his sports program for the youth – which Esperon says competes with the NPA's youth recruitment program.[20]

A nationwide cycling event initiated by various local and national government agencies named the "Bike for Peace and Justice for Kieth Absalon" was held on July 17, 2021, as a protest against the CPP-NPA.[21][22][23][24]

Charges and arrests

A team of investigators from the Masbate City Police Station filed murder and frustrated murder charges against 24 individuals.[25] A 22-year-old woman, daughter of an NPA leader, native of Cawayan and an aspiring public teacher, was arrested on June 22, 2021 for allegedly being involved in the blast.[26]

References
  1. Lozada, Bong (9 June 2021). "Who was Kieth Absalon?". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  2. Santos, Raffy (24 June 2021). "PNP chief tells cops: Hunt rebels behind Absalon cousins' deaths". ABS-CBN News (in English and Tagalog). Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  3. Sadongdong, Martin (30 June 2021). "AFP urges victims: File human rights cases vs NPA". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  4. "Football player Kieth Absalon, cousin laid to rest". ABS-CBN News. 13 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  5. Araja, Rio; Cruz, Maricel (12 June 2021). "Lawyers, rights agency weigh in on Absalon case". Manila Standard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  6. Relativo, James (7 June 2021). "CPP-NPA iniimbestigahan football player death matapos akusahan ng PNP". Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Tagalog). Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  7. Villanueva, Raymund (14 June 2021). "NDFP: Military blurs distinction between banned and allowable landmines". Bulatlat. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. "FEU booter, cousin killed, teen hurt in IED blast in Masbate – Manila Bulletin". Manila Bulletin. Philippine News Agency. 6 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  9. "Footballer Kieth Absalon died of gunshot wounds, blast injuries: death certificate". ABS-CBN News. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  10. Arguelles, Mar (8 June 2021). "NPA in Bicol says sorry for death of FEU athlete in Masbate City blast". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  11. "Kin of blast victims reject NPA apology". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  12. Cabrera, Romina (10 June 2021). "Government to NPA: Turn over those behind landmine deaths". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  13. Galvez, Daphne (10 June 2021). "AFP to CPP-NPA: Surrender those involved in Masbate landmine attack". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  14. Mangosing, Frances (11 June 2021). "CHR tells Reds: Yield rebels in killing of Absalon cousins". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  15. Ornedo, Julia Mari (8 June 2021). "CHR probes Masbate landmine blast that killed FEU athlete, cousin". GMA News. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  16. "'Under our authority': CPP-NPA ignore calls to turn over rebels behind Absalons' deaths". ABS-CBN News. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  17. Bajo, Anna Felicia (9 June 2021). "Makabayan Bloc urges Absalons' kin to file complaint over deaths". GMA News. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  18. Rita, Joviland (10 June 2021). "DILG: Makabayan Bloc deceiving kin of Masbate mine blast victim". GMA News. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  19. Gregorio, Xave (11 June 2021). "OPAPP rejects renewed calls for peace talks with Reds". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  20. Franche, Doris (15 July 2021). "Esperon: Keith Absalon 'target' ng CPP-NPA" [Esperon: Keith Absalon ‘target’ of CPP-NPA]. Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Tagalog). The Philippine Star. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  21. Hernandez, Jerry (19 July 2021). "1.6K cyclists join peace and justice campaigns". The Manila Times. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  22. Nepomuceno, Priam. "Bike event nation's call to bring Reds to justice: DILG chief". www.pna.gov.ph. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  23. "IATF approves sports events". Sunstar. 16 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  24. Moaje, Marita. "'Bike for Peace' to mark 40th day of Absalon's death". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  25. Nino, Luces (23 June 2021). "Murder charges filed vs 24 suspects in IED blast that killed FEU booter". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  26. Barcia, Rhaydz (24 June 2021). "Suspect in killing of Absalons arrested". The Manila Times. Retrieved 15 July 2021.

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