The Philippine National Police claimed that armed encounters took place during the March 7 raids, but rights watchdogs have long disputed the "nanlaban" narrative used in police operations. "We must reject this growing culture of death and normalization of killings in our society. Failure to do so, the Palace warned Robredo after she criticized the killings, could mean criminal charges. "The promotion of a culture of death must be vehemently condemned, for this is not the way of the gospel," CEAP said Monday. The government's anti-communist task force earlier this year accused CEAP of having links to communist rebels, an allegation that the group of private schools flatly rejected.

Source: Philippine Star March 10, 2021 13:24 UTC