By: Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Hands off our children.
This was the message of the parents to the members of militant groups who are allegedly recruiting their children to join the armed struggle.
Two parents from La Carlota City, Negros Occidental went to the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) headquarters Saturday afternoon to check on their two children who were rescued by authorities in a raid at the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) office in Barangay Bata here last Thursday.
According to the mother of a 12-year-old girl, she learned that these organizations would invite the children to be part of cultural shows when in fact it’s their way of influencing them to join the New People’s Army (NPA).
She said that her daughter asked permission from her to go to Bacolod for a cultural contest last October 17 but the latter failed to go home for a few weeks now until she was informed about the raid, which included her child.
The mother, whose name was withheld, said her daughter started joining the cultural activities last year through one of her relatives.
She did not allow her at first because she is still studying but her daughter insisted until she would usually leave their home for several days.
“When she usually comes home, she looks very tired, hungry, and grumpy. She seems like a different person,” the mother said.
She said she didn’t expect that the cultural show that was meant by her relative and daughter was part of an alleged recruitment of children to be part of the NPA.
“Ginpasugtan ko siya kay hambal nila mayo ang ihatag nila sa mga kabataan mag recruit sila pero gali kay lain ila palakat. Nagkadto ko d para ma untat na ila gina himu,” the mother said.
The mother went emotional when she reunited with her daughter after not seeing her for about two weeks.
She advised parents to supervise their children and to not allow recruiters to deceive and persuade their children to join any organization.
“Tapnaon na gid na dapat ang mga recruiters nga ina kay wala pulos. Halungan gid dapat sang mga ginikanan ila kabataan na indi na madala sa mga gapang recruit,” she said.
Meanwhile, the stepfather of a 17-year-old girl said that his stepdaughter went missing for a week after she left their home to join a cultural show here.
He said they were searching for her everyday but couldn’t find her until he was informed that his stepdaughter was among the rescued minors in the Thursday raid.
These two were among the 14 minors who were rescued at the said office while 43 others were arrested in the series of raids here last October 31. It also led to the recovery of more than 30 firearms, explosives, and ammunition pieces.
KMU called the operation a form of red tagging and a sham and accused authorities of “evidence planting”.
Captain Cenon Pancito III, chief of public affairs office of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said that there was really deception from the beginning when some of the minors didn’t state their real names.
Based on the stories of the parents, it simply shows that by joining dance groups, there is a regular indoctrination until they will be sent to the mountains, he said.
“These are always the scenarios. And through their efforts, we confirmed that these are not just ordinary dance groups, but something which is leading to the armed struggle of the NPA. The children are being trained to become “child warriors,” he added.
Pancito challenged these organizations by asking them “why is there a need for them to possess firearms, to conduct combat training, and recruit children if they insisted that their existence is to help the poor?”
“This shows what is really happening. So they should not allege that the state forces are planting evidence and making stories,” he said.
