‘Karapatan’ confirmed as another CPP-NPA front
‘AJ’ Lucena back with her family
A purported ‘human rights organization’ whose reports on human rights violations allegedly committed by Philippine state forces have been believed by many in the international community over the years, has now been confirmed as another front organization created by the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
This, after Genelyn ‘Gemma’ Dichoso, 52, secretary general of ‘Karapatan’ in Quezon province decided to make a clean break with the communist movement and turned herself up to the 2ND Infantry Division of the Philippine Army last April 5, 2021.
The 2ND ID is one of the two main army operational command in Southern Luzon (Solcom) responsible for internal security operations in the entire Southern Tagalog Region.
In a tears-laden, 10-minute video interview she had with Solcom area commander, Lt. General Antonio ‘Jun’ Parlade last April 15, 2021, Dichoso was visibly full of remorse for the course she had taken and now express worry as to the fate of those she had organized to join the CPP-NPA’s “armed struggle” to bring down the government. A copy of the video clip was given to Pinoy Exposé.
Dichoso added she had been contemplating on returning back to her family for quite some time already before finally managing to get the resolve to do so.
“Nakokonsensya din po ako na napapahamak lamang po yung mga na-o-organize ko.
“Ang totoo po, Sir, hindi po ako makatulog. Hindi po ako makakain. Noon ko pa po sana yun ginawa (surrender) kaya lang nabulag po ako sa katotohan.
Ipinalaladlad nila (CPP-NPA) na kapag nahawakan ka na ng sundalo, kahit sumuko ka ay ikukulong at ikukulong pa rin dahil daw po lumaban sa gobyerno,” said Dichoso.
Parlade, for his part, assured the government is prepared to help Dichoso and others like her to be with their families again.
He also stressed to Dichoso that insofar as the Phil. Army is concerned, no harm shall come to her and that his command would help ensure that she and her family can live peacefully.
Based on her narration, Dichoso said she joined the terrorist movement in Quezon in 2007 but claimed that not once did she take up a gun “because I never wanted to kill anyone.”
Dichoso said she also fear of not being able to see her family again, claiming she had cases filed against her and that warrants for her arrest had already been issued.
What the cases are, she did not specify, however.
On the other hand, Parlade said they would find out what specific cases Dichoso are currently facing and assured her of support in having them disposed of properly.
With tears flowing and fidgeting all the while, Dichoso said what she desires now is only to be with her family, stressing “napagbigyan ko na naman sila” (CPP-NPA).
She added she also came to the realization that only the government can solve all the social and economic problems that are always being discussed inside the terrorist organization.
Dichoso also told Parlade that no one ‘pressured’ her into surrendering and that adding motivation for her to go back to the side of government was the pleading from her family to give up, she said.
“Gusto ko na lang po na mabuhay ng tahimik, wala nang bumabagabag… natatakot po akong mapahamak,” Dichoso said, noting that she is also the sole breadwinner in her family.
“Ako naman po ay 52 na rin. Ilan na lamang po ang itatagal ng buhay ko sa ibabaw ng mundo para maiharap ko naman po sa aking mga anak at apo na ako na lang din po ang inaaasahan,” Dichoso said.
Parlade also told Pinoy Exposé that another issue that prompted Dichoso to breakaway from the CPP is its leadership’s inability to explain to her what the ‘BDP’ (Barangay Development Program) is all about.
“When she asked about the BDP so she can convincingly explain it to the common people, she was told not to bother with it because she is not yet ‘high’ enough in the organization,” Parlade said.
The BDP is an initiative of the national government, thru the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to help former CPP-NPA strongholds all over the country by providing these communities with adequate support and resources and make them more ‘resilient’ in resisting efforts by the CPP-NPA to return to their communities (see related story in this issue).
AJ Lucena back with her family
Meanwhile, after nearly two years of separation, Alicia Jasper (AJ) Lucena, the teenage student from the Far Eastern University (FEU) in Manila who was recruited and taken away from her family some two years ago by Anakbayan, another CPP front organization, is now back with her family. She was just 16 years old when she fell prey to the machination of the group.
Mrs. Relissa Lucena, AJ’s mother, said they managed to finally locate AJ at the ‘safehouse’ of Anakbayan in Sampaloc, Manila, last April 19.
According to some social media posts, AJ has been using the “koda” (code name) ‘Clair’ and that one of the neighbors in Bgy. 483 in Sampaloc, managed to recognize her.
Mrs. Lucena said she and her husband managed to rescue AJ with the help of their fellow parents and local officials who had earlier expressed concern about the health of those living in Anakbayan’s safehouse.
Mrs. Lucena claimed that some of the occupants in the house are already positive for Covid-19 but they had refused efforts by barangay officials to have them tested and also refused to even give their real identities.
“Ipapa swab po namin ang aming anak (Covid test) dahil puro po sila may Covid duon at ilang araw na hindi sila iniintindi ng organisasyon nila,
“Hindi po mapa swab ng barangay sila sa loob dahil ayaw nila sabihin ang mga totoong impormasyon nila o mga pangalan at address kasi hindi po sila taga ‘dun, mga estudyante daw po, naantala ang pag swab ng brgy at ang dami dami nila sa loob.
“Natatakot ako para sa buhay ng aking anak,” Lucena told Pinoy Exposé.
For the moment, Mrs. Lucena said they are having AJ checked for the virus. “She was already very thin,” Lucena added.
