NPA Sparrow Unit long gone — Albayalde

MANILA, Philippines — In the face of President Duterte’s wish to form a death squad to go after Sparrow units of communist rebels, the head of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the infamous hit squad is “long gone.”

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said they have not monitored incidents involving these sparrow units of the New People’s Army (NPA) for the past three years. 

Albayalde said they have tallied 136 killings allegedly perpetrated by the NPA.

“We have monitored those incidents but the Sparrow units of the NPA are no longer existing,” he said.

The President floated the idea of establishing a “Duterte Death Squad” or an armed civilian group to counter the Sparrow Unit of the NPA.

Albayalde noted that they have not received any directive from Malacañang regarding the plan. 

Albayalde said the President may have been prompted to float the idea of a death squad following the spate of encounters with the NPA in the provinces of Negros and the Bicol region.

Duterte issued Memorandum Order no. 32 ordering the deployment of additional forces in Samar, Negros provinces and the Bicol region to suppress acts of violence. 

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Benigno Durana Jr. earlier said the creation of a hit squad is not part of the job of the police force. 

Duterte’s security officials are cautious over the proposal while other sectors aired concern, saying that this would lead to more human rights abuses and deaths in the government’s anti-insurgency campaign. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe