CPP hits AFP ‘psy-war’ over child warrior

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has branded the surrender of 80 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, including 19 minors, in Bukidnon province to government authorities as military “psychological warfare” smacks of coercion and fakery.

In a statement, the CPP even called on human rights groups to look into the surrender of the members of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front-6, led by Benjamin Salusad, alias Commander Nonong, last Monday to officials of the local government units, the 4th Infantry Division (ID) and the Eastern Mindanao Command.

“The surrender ceremony… smacks of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) psywar fakery and (the CPP) called on human rights organizations to

investigate the incident to determine whether the local residents were forcibly rounded-up by the military and made to pose as NPA fighters,” the communist group stressed.

“This is not the first time that the AFP has conducted ‘surrender’ photo-ops and media relations gimmicks in their desperate hope to downplay the growth of the revolutionary movement and the intensifying revolutionary armed resistance of the people,” it said.

AFP-Civil Relations Service (CRS) chief Maj. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario Jr., however, maintained that the surrender was a clear indication of the weakening mass base support of the communist organization.

Del Rosario stressed that Salusad’s group, all of them lumads belonging to tribal group in Bukidnon, has realized that they fell victims to the NPA which used them to conduct atrocities.

“They realized that they were recruited 25 years ago but their lives remain the same…maybe they realized it’s about time that they withdraw from supporting the NPA,” he added.

The AFP-CRS chief branded the surrender of Salusad’s group as significant, citing that 70 percent of the NPA fighters in Regions 10 and 11 are lumads.

Del Rosario said the surrender will have a “domino effect” on the NPA unit in Bukidnon.

The CPP, however, accused the military of rounding up civilians in the area and presented them as rebel-returnees.

“In order to conduct these so-called surrender ceremonies, the AFP forcibly round up local residents and tell them to attend a military-sponsored assembly,” the CPP said.

“They are made to sign up an attendance sheet only to find out later that they are being accused of being NPA fighters and presented to the media as surrenderees,” it added.

The CPP urged human rights organizations, church and other civic associations to investigate the supposed surrender and determine whether the local residents were harassed, forced or deceived by the AFP to participate in the military-sponsored ceremony.

During debriefing, Salusad admitted that 19 of his members were recruited as minors.

Army 4th ID chief Maj. Gen. Victor Felix stressed that such case only showed the NPA’s desperation. –Mario J. Mallari, Daily Tribune