Nineteen out of the 80 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, who voluntarily surrendered last Monday to government authorities in Bukidnon province, were minors, bolstering the military’s claims that the communist group is recruiting child warriors.
Army 4th Infantry Division (ID) chief Maj. Gen. Victor Felix said Benjamin Salusad, alias Commander Nonong, admitted that some of his former fighters at the NPA’s Guerrilla Front-6 operating in North Central Mindanao were recruited as minors from tribal groups in Bukidnon.
“These revelations of Ka Nonong and
his followers only confirm and strengthen our previous reports that CPP/NPA/NDF (National Democratic Front) has been employing children in their organization,” he added.
“Our previous attempts to make this public were always met with their staunch denial that this communist organization has been victimizing minors ever since. Maybe with the help of Ka Nonong and with the testimony and affidavit of his companions, the public would finally know the truth,” Felix stressed.
The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA has repeatedly denied recruiting child warriors within its ranks.
Feliz said his command is exhausting all efforts to rescue other children who are still with the NPA employed as fighters, couriers, observers and messengers.
“These children have fallen victims and we are not going to stop our operations until we are able to rescue each of them from the claws of deception of the NPA,” said Felix.
According to Felix, the young rebels, whose age ranges from 10 to 18 years old, came from the Tigwahanon, Matigsalog and Manobo tribes from San Fernando, Bukidnon.
They were recruited by the NPA at a very young age. Some have been with the communist rebels for the last five months while others have been fighting for the group for about nine years already.
Last Monday, Salusad, tagged as the top NPA leader in Bukidnon, led 80 of his fighters in returning to the folds of the law, bringing along 25 high-powered firearms.
They cited inequality in the communist organization as reason for their surrender. –Mario J. Mallari, Daily Tribune
Sept 5 – Oct 5
National Teachers Month
“Pay teachers decent wages,
Pay attention to teachers!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations
against serious violations of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
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September
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety, and Sanitation Month
Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 5)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday: International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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