A fifteen-year old minor and a member of the communists New People’s Army operating in the hinterlands of Davao del Norte and other parts of Davao region surrendered to authorities on Monday afternoon, the Philippine Army reported.
In a press statement on Tuesday, 2Lt. Amadeuz Celestial, civil-military operations officer of 60th Infantry Battalion said Alias Rose surrendered with another 18-year old NPA member identified as Junjun in Sitio Patil, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The identities of the surrenderers will temporarily be concealed for security purposes pending the processing for their turn over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for proper dispositions.
Celestial added that Junjun served as a squad leader of Pulang Bagani Command 4 of the NPAs in Southern Mindanao while Rose was a member of the medical team.
Both belong to Indigenous People, particularly Dibabawon tribe in Davao del Norte.
He said that Junjun and Rose made an initial contact with a tribal leader in the area and to the commander of a CAFGU Active Auxiliary Detachment in Kapalong town.
In the initial investigation, Junjun revealed that he was recruited to the movement by certain aka Pai while Rose was recruited by a Emilies Bat-ao alias Ka Nice.
“Both of them were promised to work in a legal front office of the NPA in Davao City. Junjun and Rose were also told by their recruiters to study in Davao City,” Celestial said.
Contrary to what their recruiters said, the two ended up in the hinterlands of Davao del Norte and parts of Davao region to be with the Pulang Bagani 4 of the NPAs, he added.
“Tired of living in the mountains and fears were the reasons why the two young NPA fighters decided to surrender. They also revealed that four more IP minors are still in the company of Pulang Bagani 4,” Celestial said.
Both Junjun and Rose are now undergoing medical checkup and stress debriefing with their respective local health and social welfare and development units.
Celestial said Rose will also undergo special psychological debriefing for any indication of child-abuse-related trauma.
“I am heavily disheartened with the NPA’s utilization and incessant abuse of vulnerable sectors like these children from IP communities,” said 60th IB commander Lt. Col. Emmanuel Canilla in the same statement on Tuesday.
He added that the NPA’s continuing disregard to respect the rights of children are clear manifestations of their disregard to the provisions of CARHRIHL or the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
Celestial said that Rose is the 5th child-soldier who yielded to authorities this year in Davao region.
