Group decries NPA abuses vs. women, youth

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 5, 2020): Group decries NPA abuses vs. women, youth (By Lade Jean Kabagani)

League of Parents of the Philippines (LPP) members. (Contributed photo)

MANILA – An anti-communist group on Wednesday denounced the abuses committed by leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) against its women and youth members.

Remy Rosadio, chair of the League of Parents of the Philippines (LPP), cited the need to put an end to the deception, lies, and the continuing recruitment of the rebel group and its legal front-organizations.

"If the recruitment of our children and women will not be stopped, then, the abuses and sex slavery will also continue," she said.

Rosadio assailed the NPA's infiltration of schools targeting massive recruitment of students to join militant organizations and eventually become part of the communist armed movement.

"The league of parents has witnessed the recruitment scheme of these communists and its legal fronts against our youth, it must be stopped now, because our children deserve better," Rosadio said.

Anti-communist groups and other civil society organizations have been sounding the alarm over militant organizations reportedly recruiting minors who will later join the NPA.

Rosadio cited the recent testimonies given by former NPA rebels pointing at the Makabayan bloc as the recruitment arm of the communist movement.

"During the Senate Hearing, we've heard various statements from the former members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, they were narrating the truth on how they recruit our youths," she said.

"If the communist's recruitment could be held inside the schools, then, this is something we must be scared of," Rosadio added.

Ex-NPA cadre's testimony

In his public appearance on Oct. 30, Jeffrey Celiz alias “Ka Eric”, a former CPP-NPA cadre, revealed that 90 percent of communist cadres were recruited from schools and universities through the legal front organizations of the CPP-NPA-NDF.

He said the communist recruitment starts through legal organizations.

“Kailangan matigil na ang recruitment sa kabataan. Matigil na ang pagwasak sa mga pamilya. Matigil na ang walang saysay na pagpatay at madugong pamamaraan ng pag advocate ng idolohiyang itinakwil na sa buong daigdig, ang Marxismo, Leninismo at Maoismo ay mga library references ito hindi para baguhin ang lipunan (Recruitment of youth should be stopped. Destruction of families and killings should be stopped. Violent means of advocating ideologies have been rejected. Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism are all but library references and should not be used to change society),” Ka Eric said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

Red-tagging issues

Meanwhile, LPP spokesperson Arlene Escalante questioned the Makabayan bloc for skipping the Senate hearing on the complaints of so-called "red-tagging" of individuals and groups linked to the CPP-NPA-NDF.

"In an ironic turn of events, the Makabayan bloc was a no show at the Senate hearing and I find it suspicious, to say the least, that not even one of them could attend to represent their group to fight for the truth—if indeed, they are on the truth's side," Escalante said.

Escalante added the "no show" of the representatives only confirmed that the Makabayan bloc members fear the "tons of evidence" associating them as the recruitment wing for the rebel group.

"Imagine the countless armed child warriors who are constantly in danger in the boondocks! We, parents in LPP, are one in denouncing this atrocious violation of our children's rights," she said.

LPP and other anti-communist groups also urged Makabayan bloc representatives to denounce the atrocities committed by the communist terrorist group.

"If they're not associated with any of the CPP-NPA-NDF, they should be denouncing all the atrocities, violence, and recruitment of minors committed by the communist rebels,” they said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1120777