Army slams NPA for ‘exploiting’ minors

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Major General Benedict Arevalo, commander of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) slammed the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Island for the alleged exploitation of minors as child warriors.

This, after a 15-year-old former rebel warrior, who was accompanied by his mother, surrendered to the authorities last Monday following his reported admission on his participation in a clash with the soldiers of 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) at Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on October 1.

The rebel returnee is a purported member of Squad 1, SDG Platoon, Central Negros 2, according to the Army.

His claim being an NPA member was supported by a former rebel after he was positively identified as one of at least 10 minors allegedly recruited by the NPA, the Army claimed.

The minor was turned over to the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO) and placed under the protection of the 94th IB.

Arevalo said rebels in Negros Island are “destroying the future of the children, and are molding the hope of the nation into child combatants to cast terrorism and fight against the government.”

“Don’t allow these CPP-NPA terrorists to enter your communities. Let us save our children by putting the communist terrorism to its end,” Arevalo said.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Guzman, 94th IB commander, said he is grateful to the Local Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (LTF-ELCAC) of Himamaylan City for its commitment of support to the former rebel.