COLONEL Benedict Arevalo, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental, appealed to parents, guardians, and relatives of the 106 children, who were reportedly used by the New People’s Army (NPA) during the 50th anniversary in December 2018, to send them back to school.
Arevalo said the NPA reportedly encouraged some children to join the staging of their anniversary near a school in Barangay Trinidad in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on December 17, 2018.
“The truth is they usually celebrate their anniversary earlier than December 26, he added. We are even wondering why did they held their anniversary in a village and near a school?” he added.
The military went to the village a day before the activity was held after they received reports based on their intelligence monitoring.
It could bring danger to the lives of the mass there when the army and the rebels had a clash, Arevalo said.
Arevalo said the NPA probably misled these children and threatened them to go against the government forces.
It was part of their propaganda. An action of carelessness and stupidity, he added.
However, the Leonardo Panaligan Command denied the allegations of Arevalo, claiming it was the military who threatened the children.
Arevalo said these students based on their school records failed to return to school since the classes resume this month after the holiday break in December last year.
“I appeal to the parents and relatives of these children to never allow their children to be used and get deceived by the rebels,” he added.
We do not want to see them waste their lives by attending the rebel’s activities, he said.
They can always return to their parents and the government since we also have programs for them, he added.
Arevalo said they do not know if these children have returned to their families or have been recruited already by the NPA.
We are currently reaching out to their parents to assist them on their children, he added.
Meanwhile, Arevalo clarified that the military and police did not hold some persons in a checkpoint in Moises Padilla town on Tuesday, January 15, contrary to the allegations of some members of the militant groups.
Karapatan Negros Island said 17 persons, including a minor, came from a gift-giving activity in Guihulngan City when they were flagged down in a checkpoint.
Arevalo said they were not held for too long. They were just checked in plain view manner, he added.
It was probably part of their damage control since the army was able to locate their hideout, where they held their golden anniversary last year, he said.
Senior Inspector Junji Liba, officer-in-charge of Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station, said they were allowed to pass after the normal procedure on checkpoint operation was implemented.
Both army and police said no violation was committed. (GYM)