FORMER cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the mother of a still missing teener, have decided to pool their effort and filed another round of criminal complaints against CPP founder Jose Maria Sison and Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago at the Department of Justice last October 1, 2021, in order to affirm that CPP recruitment targeting mostly students is a continuing threat to the country’s stability.
Signing the complaint for human trafficking (RA 9208) and child abuse (RA 7610), are, Jeffrey ‘Ka Eric Almendras’ Celiz; Joy James “Ka Amihan” Saguino; Daniel “Ka Steven” Castillo; Lady Desiree “Ka Shane” Miranda; Julius “Ka Virgo” Acyatan; and, Kurt Russel “Ka Ugnay” Sosa.
They were joined by Luisa Espina, a member of the ‘Hands Off Our Children’ (HOOC) movement, whose daughter, Louvaine Erika, remains missing up to now.
The young Espina is just a 16-years old student at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) when she was induced to join Anakbayan, a CPP front organization established inside the PUP.
Anakbayan is among the many CPP front organizations created to purposely target students. These groups are being represented in Congress by Elago under the Kabataan Partylist.
Kabataan, in turn, is part of the so-called ‘Makabayan Bloc’ in Congress composed of all CPP-established partylists, such as GABRIELA, COURAGE, ACT-Teachers and Bayan Muna.
In 2018, Louvaine decided to abandon her studies and family in favor of the armed struggle against the government being waged by the CPP and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA). She has not been heard since then.
In statements to the media afterwards, the complainants said they want Sison, Elago and other CPP front leaders to respond to the criminal complaints they filed and for Elago to stop denying her affiliation with the terrorist organization.
“Tigilan na ni CPP operative Sarah Elago ang playing victim and paawa effect na style nya. Hindi na ito bumibenta sa mamamayang Pilipino. No one will believe her even if she craves for sympathy,” Celiz said in a statement, after Elago again denied her link to the CPP.
Celiz also brushed away Elago’s assertion that she and the Makabayan Bloc are being ‘red-tagged’ by their critics and opponents.
“It is already the former rebels and former cadres who are directly identifying Elago and the CPP-NPA-NDF leaders,” Celiz said.
Saguino, for his part, said there is a need to halt the massive recruitment and radicalization of minors and other vulnerable sectors of the society, such as indigenous people, into joining the CPP’s “senseless” armed revolution.
“Lubhang karima-rimarim ‘yung mga nagiging karanasan ng mga kabataan gaya ko, gaya ng iba pang kasama ko ngayon dito, na mga dating NPA din na nagmula rin sa mga front organizations ng Anakbayan, ng League of Filipino Students (LFS) at saka ng Kabataan party-list, sa pagsali sa armadong pakikibaka,” he said.
“Unti-unti na nating nahuhubaran ang totoong kulay nung mga nagpapanggap na legal na organisasyon na wala namang ibang ginawa kundi pabagsakin yung gobyerno, linlangin ang mga kabataan at sirain ang mga pamilya,” he added.
Castillo, also a former member of Anakbayan, slammed Elago and other members of the Makabayan Bloc for continuing to deny their ties with CTGs.
“Isang napakalaking kasinungalingan na sabihing walang link o walang relasyon ‘yung Kabataan party-list, Anakbayan at LFS sa recruitment ng CPP-NPA-NDF dahil ako mismo ay nanggaling sa Anakbayan at ‘yung Anakbayan talaga ang nagsilbing tulay para maging NPA ako,” he bared.
After serving the NPA’s Guerilla Front 55, operating in the boundaries of Bukidnon province and Davao City, Castillo returned to the fold of the law and is now helping the government expose the deceptions committed by the CPP-NPA-NDF and their allied groups.
Explaining why she joined the complaint, Espina said her daughter’s plight showed Elago is lying whenever she claims that Anakbayan members are “simple activists,” along with members of their affiliates Anakbayan, Bayan Muna, League of Filipino Students, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, and Gabriela.
“Sinabi ni Sarah Elago na simpleng aktibista lamang ang nire-recruit nila ngunit hindi po ito totoo.
“Ito po ‘yung patotoo. Harapin nyo, sagutin nyo lahat ng ihinain namin dito sa DOJ.
“Ngayon nyo sagutin, ngayon nyo sabihin na hindi kayo nagpapaakyat ng kabataan sa armadong pakikibaka.
“Enough with exploiting the youth. Let us stop this,” Espina added (with reports from the Philippine News Agency).