PCOO chief commends RTF-ELCAC for rescuing child-warrior

From the Philippine Information Agency (Feb 16, 2021): PCOO chief commends RTF-ELCAC for rescuing child-warrior (By Gideon C. Corgue)

PAGADIAN CITY, Feb 16 (PIA) —The chief of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) praised the success of the Regional Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ECAC) especially the surrender of the 14-year-old boy who is a member of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).

At a press conference held at the mayor's office on Monday, Secretary Jose Ruperto Martin Andanar thanked the Situational Awareness Knowledge Management (SAKM) Cluster of the Regional Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC-9) with members of the Midsalip Municipal Task Force-ELCAC for successfully negotiating the surrender of Rudy Sagino, aka Sony who lives in Sitio Pisyu, Barangay Balonay in Midsalip town and is a member of the Main Regional Guerilla Unit- Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (MRGU-WMRPC).

During his surrender, Sagino, who is also a member of the Indigenous People (IP), revealed that he was encouraged to join the NPA units in the mountains, was instructed to carry a pistol, serve as a cook and errand in the camp of the rebels.

“As Cabinet Officer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) Region 10, I commend the achievement of ELCAC which enabled the surrender of the warrior child Rudy Sagino. This is what proves that there really are child warriors on the ground,” Andanar said.

Andanar felt very sorry for the child's condition because the lives of the child warriors were very wasted if they remained in the hinterlands.

Andanar also announced that there are many policies created and implemented by President Rodrigo Duterte that provide great help to the poor people such as free education, free medicine, providing healthcare program for the poor, construction of Malasakit Center for the sick, and many others.

"The success of the RTF has served as an inspiration not only in region 9 but throughout the country," Andar concluded.

Andanar along with Director General Ramon Cualoping III of the Philippine Information Agency visited Pagadian to support PIA's advocacy campaign called 'Explain, Explain, Explain' to enlighten the people on important government programs especially the roll out the COVID-19 vaccination program.

(RVC/GCC/PIA9-Zamboanga del Sur)