CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)—Three former rebels (FRs) reminded the youths to be more vigilant in joining an organization or union as they might be manipulated to become part of a revolutionary government.
During the joint AFP-PNP Peace Concert recently at Kiosko Kagawasan in Cagayan de Oro, former rebel ‘Ka Lala’ narrated how they were deceived by the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) to join in the non-state armed group.
“Sa atong mga kabatan-onan, kinahanglan atong sutaon kung ang atong gi-apilan nga organisasyon dili mahimong babag diha sa paningkamot nga muuswag ang atong kahimtang ug kaugmaon. Kaming tulo ka kanhi rebelde nga ani-a karon, nakaamgo mi nga giilad mi. Biktima mi sa pagpanglimbong sa CPP-NPA-NDF nga kalihukan,” she said.
(Our young people need to assess the ins and outs of the organization. We, as former rebels realized we have been deceived. We are victims of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s lies and tricks)
In condemnation of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s 53rd founding anniversary, the three former rebels attended the AFP-PNP Peace Concert in support of the government’s efforts to end insurgency and expose the terrorists’ mass recruitment tactics.
Another ex-rebel named ‘Ka Jao’ explained that there are two main working committees of the terrorists namely the White Area Committee (WAC) and the Red Area Committee (RAC).
He clarified that the ‘White Area Committee’ members are the recruiters and fund-raisers who immerse themselves in churches, universities, construction, and business companies, including women’s sector.
They tackle issues such as tuition fees, salaries of common workers, and farmland problems to provoke people and incite rebellion, especially among students, laborers, farmers, and other vulnerable sectors.
Meanwhile, the three FRs shared that their lives were in chaos and miserable during those times they were in the mountains fighting for a rotten cause.
“We are here to help the government. We urge our youths to be cautious in the strategies used by the CPP-NPA-NDF because their recruiters pose as a legal organization but in reality, they are an underground organization whose members support the terrorists’ cause,” Ka Jao said. (JAKA/PIA-10)
