Charges filed vs Joma, 3 NPA commanders for recruitment, abuse of minor

From the Manila Bulletin (Aug 24, 2021): Charges filed vs Joma, 3 NPA commanders for recruitment, abuse of minor (By Aaron Recuenco)

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has filed criminal charges against Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder Jose Maria Sison and three ranking officials of the New People’s Army (NPA) for allegedly recruiting a minor who was allegedly sexually abused later.

CIDG director Maj. Gen. Albert Ignatius Ferro said Sison and Redsa Balatan tagged as the recruiter of the minor, were charged with violations of the provisions of the Republic Act 10364, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and RA 7610, or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act before the Department of Justice.

Ferro said that two counts of rape were also slapped against Rey dela Peña, an NPA commander; and another four counts of rape against Joel Caliwliw, another NPA commander.

Currently, Sison is at the Netherlands, while Balatan, Dela Peña, and Caliwliw are detained at Nueva Ecija Provincial Jail, Caalibangbangan, Cabanatuan City; at Bambang Police Station, Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya; and at BJMP Provincial Jail, Solano, Nueva Vizcaya, respectively.

The cases stemmed from the complaint of a former NPA fighter who said she was recruited to join the CPP-NPA when she was 14 years old which were backed by two former communist rebels.

“She revealed that she was recruited at the age of 14 as a member of Anakbayan, a CTG (Communist Terrorist Group) front organization involved in above ground works. She had received Radicalization Courses from Radicalization Centers,” said Ferro, quoting the affidavit of the alleged victim.

“She then became a CTG Urban Operator, then eventually joined the Communist Terrorism (Red Area Operation) at the CARABALLO Guerrilla Front covering the areas on Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya and Pangasinan,” he added.

Ferro said the victim became a full-pledge member of the group at the age of 18.

But while an active member of the NPA, the victim said that she was raped twice by her commander, dela Peña, in 2016 and in 2017.

In 2018, the victim said that she was raped four times by another Caliwliw. She added that she was also sexually molested by an NPA squad leader identified as Alvin Soria, alias Ka Bunso.

“When she tried to call the attention of CTG higher-ups, she was dismayed because instead of getting the justice she deserved, she was mocked, maligned as somebody who has Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a ‘sex addict’ and she was likewise branded as mentally deranged,” said Ferro.

https://mb.com.ph/2021/08/24/charges-filed-vs-joma-3-npa-commanders-for-recruitment-abuse-of-minor/