THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) again appealed to the youth on Tuesday, June 4, to shun the communist ideology and instead engage in sports or arts.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año issued the appeal as he slammed the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA for continuing to recruit the youth, who are easier to manipulate and brainwash.
“Don’t fall into the deception and smooth talk of the communists. I tell you, it is a trap. They will sow hatred and lies into your heads so that you will become their vessel to unknowingly work to push their twisted ideology,” he said.
Año was reacting to the killing of a young New People's Army (NPA) fighter in a clash with the military in Barangay Cancavan, Carmen Surigao del Sur on May 19.
“Spare our young people from your lies and deception. Huwag ninyong sirain ang kinabukasan nila. Huwag ninyo silang linlangin at idamay sa mga pakana ninyo para mag-aklas laban sa gobyerno,” Año said.
“The youth are a brave, curious and adventurous bunch. So the communists take advantage of these qualities along with their vulnerabilities to deceive, manipulate, and threaten them into becoming one of their own. The youth should be in school and not in the mountains,” he added.
A 15-year-old combatant was killed during clashes between the army troops and the NPA in Sitio Bayongon, Barangay Astorga in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur on April 21, 2018.
Two boys and a girl also died in another clash between the government troops and the NPA in Compostela Valley on July 12, 2017.
Earlier, the United Nations (UN) reported that 30 Filipino children were recruited and used by different local terrorist groups in 2017. (SunStar Philippines)