THE Philippine Army has rescued two minors being used by the local command of the New People’s Army (NPA) as virtual ‘slaves’ and sometimes armed combatants, after an encounter last January 15, 2022 in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander, 303rd Infantry Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, said his men from the 62nd Infantry Battalion were surprised to discover that the children were among the four of the 12-man NPA squad they encountered and arrested in Sitio Manlibud, Bgy. Sandayao.
The group was part of the Northern Negros Front (NNF), Komiteng Rehiyon of the CPP, covering Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor (NCBS).
“They (children) were being utilized as ‘utusan’ or runners/assistants and sometimes, one of them would bear arms,” Pasaporte told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The use of children not only as armed fighters but also for menial and other laborious tasks, most of the time in slave-like conditions, has been a feature and accepted as ‘common’ in the underground terrorist movement since it was founded more than 5 decades ago.
Despite this, the CPP-NPA always sincerely claim their “commitment” to international humanitarian laws (IHLs), especially the rights of children not to be involved in armed conflicts.
Although the names and actual age of the rescued children were not disclosed, Pasaporte said one of them bared that he was first recruited to join the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), some 4 years ago, in 2018.
The use of children not only as armed fighters but also for menial and other laborious tasks, most of the time in slave-like conditions, has been a feature and accepted as ‘common’ in the underground terrorist movement since it was founded more than 5 decades ago.
Pasaporte added that they managed to trace the parents of the children and sought the assistance of the local social welfare (DSWD) office, where they were turned over for custody.
‘Suko na po kami’
Pasaporte also bared that earlier in the day and prior to the encounter, two ranking members of NNF-NCBS decided to surrender to the government, thru the 79th IB based in Bgy. Bato, Sagay City, Negros Occidental.
The two were identified thru their aliases as, ‘Bruno,’ CPP political instructor and, ‘Mary,’ member of the front’s Educations Committee.
Both are with the terrorist movement for over 2 decades, Pasaporte added.
The two allegedly claimed that the NNF is now on the “verge of collapse, especially with the death last year of two of its top leaders, Kerima ‘Ella’ Lorena Tariman and Marilyn ‘Monet’ Badayos last year.
Tariman was killed in an encounter with the 79th IB in Bgy. Kapitan Ramon, Silay City last August 20, 2021(Pinoy Exposé, August 23, 2021) while Badayos was killed in a separate clash last September 30, 2021, in Bgy. San Pablo, Manapla, both in Negros Occidental, also with the 79the IB.
“They affirmed the leadership abuses, resentful system and lies of the CTG (communist terrorist group) in propagating false ideologies to the people of Negros.
“The hardships within the NPA units are already unbearable especially now that the support from their masses is declining.
“As they experienced these sufferings in the mountains, there will be more of their members who will opt to lie low and surrender leading towards the downfall of the CTG in Northern Negros,” Pasaporte added.