On the killing of Kieth and Nolven Absalon Senator Richard J. Gordon had earlier denounced the senseless killing of Kieth Absalon and his cousin Nolven, who both died due to injuries sustained when an IED exploded along the way they took in Masbate. This happened last June 6, 2021. Calling this type of indiscriminate killing an “assassination”, Gordon said that these killing must stop. Citing the International Humanitarian Law,
which was adopted in the Philippines through a law he authored, Republic Act No. 9851, the perpetrators of this dastardly act which the National People’s Army (NPA) claims to be their handiwork, are liable for war crimes under Section 4, paragraph 25 of the said law: 25) Employing means of warfare which are prohibited under international law, such as: Xxx (iv) Weapons, projectiles and material and methods of warfare which are of the nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary
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suffering or which are inherently indiscriminate in violation of the international law of armed conflict. Gordon called on the authorities to bring those responsible to justice with deliberate dispatch and hold them liable for their crime and issue the call to the NPA to respect civilians at all times and observe International Humanitarian Law. In the long term, Gordon said, we must strive to resolve this longstanding insurgency and work for lasting peace, so we freely develop our economy and make a better country. Caraga INFOCUS
