A 17-YEAR-OLD former combatant of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Leyte filed a rape case against her former commander identified as Paterno “Yoyo/Dodong” Opo Thursday, October 29, 2020.
The victim confessed the “traumatic rape incident” at the hands of her supposed leader when she was only 15 years old, according to the Philippine Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, who helped the young combatant in pursuing the case.
In a statement, the army identified Opo as the alleged leader of the Sub-Regional Committee “Levox” that operates in the hinterlands of Leyte and Biliran provinces.
According to the victim and her sister, they were lured to join the organization after the latter allegedly promised them that they will be able to go to school.
“But they were rather forced to become NPA combatants,” read the army statement.
“They were brainwashed by their NPA commanders and comrades that they should neither be captured nor surrender to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) because they will be raped, tortured and killed,” it added.
The siblings, along with another NPA rebel, surrendered in June 2020.
They requested the assistance of the 802nd Infantry Brigade in reporting the incident to the police and social workers in Calubian, Leyte.
According to the army, the rape incident continues to haunt the victim that she wants to seek justice. (SunStar Philippines)