MAJOR General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, has slammed the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Island for allegedly continuing the exploitation of minors as child warriors.
Arevalo made the statement after a 15-year-old member of the terrorist group, who admitted his participation in a recent clash with the troops of 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Carabalan,, Himamaylan City, voluntarily surrendered on Monday, October 4.
Accompanied by his mother, alias “RR” said he is a member of Squad 1, Sentro De Gabridad (SDG) Platoon.
Military reports showed that RR is one of the 10 minors recruited by an NPA member identified as alias “Carding.”
He was turned over to the City Social Welfare Development Office and placed under the protection of 94IB.
“The communist-terrorists in Negros Island are destroying the future of our children,” Arevalo said.
“They are molding the hope of our nation into child combatants to cast terrorism and fight against the government,” he said, adding that “this devious and inhumane act is a blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law.”
Arevalo also called on Negrenses, especially parents, to guide and protect their children from the deceitful recruitment maneuver of the communist terrorists.
“Don’t allow these CPP-NPA to enter your communities. Be vigilant and report any suspicious movement of the communist-terrorists in your area for us to spoil their recruitment activities. Let us save our children by putting the communist terrorism to its end,” he said.