Elago urged to protect youth from CPP-NPA or resign

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 9, 2021): Elago urged to protect youth from CPP-NPA or resign (By Marita Moaje)

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago

The Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC) in Western Visayas called on Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago to protect the youth from communist terrorist groups (CTGs) or resign from her post.

“If you cannot find it in your heart to condemn the atrocities of the CPP-NPA and you are finding it difficult to fight for the rights of a trafficked child who was forced to join the CPP-NPA as a child warrior, then maybe, your Kabataan Party-list is not really sincere in protecting and upholding the rights of the millions of Filipino youth whose future depends on how we protect them from all forms of violence and terrorism-related activities,” said Flosemer Chris Gonzales, chief of the legal cooperation cluster of RTF-ELCAC in Western Visayas, in a statement over the weekend.

Gonzales said Elago must consider giving up her seat in Congress “since she cannot fight for the rights of those whom her party-list has intended to protect.

Gonzales issued the statement as a response to Elago’s social media post on a dialogue that happened between RTF-ELCAC and officials of the Aklan State University (ASU) in late January.

Enlightenment on recruitment issues

During the meeting, RTF-ELCAC discussed with school officials the schemes reportedly employed by rebel groups in recruiting the youth including students from different state universities across the country.

The meeting also sought to enlighten the university on the recent list bared by the NTF-ELCAC regarding schools that have been targeted by the CPP-NPA-NDF for radicalization and recruitment.

The said list included ASU, among other state universities.

Elago, in a Facebook post, said she will include the said incident in their gathered cases of red-tagging in schools in a House resolution, adding that this should be investigated.

Gonzales said “something is very, very wrong” with Elago, railing against her move to subject ASU to a congressional investigation.

He asked Elago if ASU is “wrong in its goal to protect its students” and make a stand against terrorism.

He advised Elago to re-read her oath of office as a member of the House of Representatives, which is to uphold the law and defend the Constitution including defending the country from all enemies, foreign and domestic, that includes terrorist organizations.

“You swore an oath to defend the youth of this country from the deceptive recruitment of the CPP-NPA which in all respects, is a terrorist organization that is an enemy of the state and of the Filipino people,” Gonzales told Elago.

Gonzales said Elago should be the first in condemning the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA especially on issues regarding supposed recruitment children as “child warriors.”

ASU denounces communist terrorist groups

ASU president Emily Arangote said they were saddened by the claim that the university serves as a recruitment ground for communist rebels especially that they maintain strong ties with their local government unit.

She added that they were not aware of any recruitment of rebel groups inside their school.

However, she extended her gratitude to the NTF-ELCAC for the enlightenment so they could protect the institution from the deceptive recruitment schemes of CTGs.

She also assured that they will never tolerate any groups that may eventually ruin the lives of their students.

“ASU had not and will never support, nor allow, any violent movement aimed at overthrowing the government. We will not allow communist-terrorist groups to destroy the future of our students; hence, ASU is one with the peace-loving Aklanons in denouncing their criminal activities,” Arangote said.

She said they will partner with the RTF-ELCAC to protect the school and its students from any infiltration, recruitment, and radicalization by any CTG.

Gonzales, for his part, advised Elago to read the facts first before jumping to any conclusion and for her to have sensible and fact-based insights to help her in formulating future policies and legislative acts.

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

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1130180