Former rebels who are indigenous people (IP) youths from communities in the area of responsibility (AOR) of 60th Infantry Battalion, recently shared their experiences and struggles in the hands of the communist terrorist group (CTG), New People’s Army (NPA). They also exposed the deceptive tactics of the NPAs in recruiting IPs.
In the press conference on October 07 at 60th IB headquarters, dubbed as “Deceit, Abuse, and Death: The Naked Truth of the CPP-NPA’s Five Decade Propaganda”, former youth rebels rescued by the government tell their story on how they were deceived by the NPAs.
In his briefing, 60th Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, Lt Col Ronaldo Sarmiento, narrated the painful experiences of the rescued IP youths from the Weakened Guerilla Front 3.
Also highlighted were the statements of alias Mayet, 16 years old and was recruited at the age of 14; Cha-cha, who stayed in the armed rebellion for 4 years and 9 months and was recruited at the age of 15; and Christine, 17 years old and was recruited at the age of 14.
They were all deceived thru promises to receive regular support for their families upon joining the NPA.
“Di gyud na tinood ang istorya sa NPA. Pamakak ragyud na ug pandaot sa gobyerno aron marecruit mi. Tungod kay pagbalik namo sa gobyerno, maayo man diay ang gobyerno maong bakak gyud ang NPA (Stories of the NPAs were not true. Those were fabrications and criticisms against the government just to recruit us. When we returned to the government, we’ve found them good; so the NPAs were just lying),” alias Mayet stated.
“Sige mi’g dala-dala ug pasyente, sige’g lakaw-lakaw, wa’nay kan-anay ug tubig nalang among kanoon sa pila ka semana (We’re always carrying with us the wounded; always walking, wandering without food with only water to sustain us for weeks),” alias Christine added.
“Ilang hadlukon ang mga gusto musurender nga ang lalaki kay torturon ug ang mga babae kay rape-on (They threatened those who would like to surrender, that males would be tortured and females would be raped),” Alyas Cha-cha explained.
Members of the panelists expressed their sorrows and dismay over the experiences of the youth. They committed to help the surrenderees get back to their normal lives. (PIA XI Davao del Norte/jmda/Ezri M. Coda, Jr.)
