The New People’s Army (NPA) political department withdrew its earlier statement distributed to the media that a three-year-old girl and seven others were hit by aerial attacks conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Sitio Malinao, Barangay Batiano, Baganga, Davao Oriental.

NPA political director Ka Simon Santiago in a statement apologized for the “wrong” information that they had sent to media outlets that civilians were hit by bombings launched  by the Philippine Air Force on Monday.

“Nakuryente kami (we were misinformed),” Santiago said, adding that upon verification, they learned that no civilians were hit during the incident.

Santiago thanked that no lives of civilians were lost during the military offensive operations.

“We admit that we committed a mistake and this is the prestigious credibility that the NPA had been holding on which is to admit our mistakes and always stand for the truth,” Santiago said.

Santiago had sent messages to media outlets that the aerial attacks in Baganga, Davao Oriental, caused lives and properties of civilians.

Santiago also apologized to the family who were named as victims in said statement.

“The NPA always shows its honesty to stand for the truth and fight for the welfare of the people,” Santiago said.

Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Col. Randolf Cabangbang for his part, thanked  Santiago for making the retraction.

“It’s good that they had retracted and I hope they would retract all their statements which had already been sent and printed in wire news agencies,” Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang said, at least, the NPA had admitted their mistake on that incident.

“Thank you for being that professional,” Cabangbang addressing to Santiago said.

Cabangbang said that it’s better for Santiago to retract the NPA’s statement since people in the area knew that the report was not true.

Cabangbang advised Santiago to double check their data before issuing any statements, being the NPA spokesperson.

“Dapat i-dispatsa na niya yong asset na nag-feed sa kanya nga ganyang wrong information, (its better for him to fire his asset who gave him the wrong information),” Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang however admitted that an encounter happened on Sunday March 8, which resulted in the death of a CAFGU and wounding a member of the 67th Infantry Battalion. Jessie L. Casalda