Ex rebels share ordeal with NPA

EX-NPA GUERILLAS -- Three former fighters New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas surrender with their firearms to the Police Regional Office in Cordillera under the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP). The three surrenderees: ‘Ka Jimmy’, 22, who was recruited at the age of 12; ‘Ka Alice’ now in her mid-20s and ‘Ka Benjie’ in his 20s. -- PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot

By Liza Agoot 

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Three former members of the New People’s Army recruited by the communist group at a very young age, one of them at 12 years old, surrendered to the government.

The three who surrendered -- “Ka Jimmy”, “Ka Alice,” and “Ka Benjie” all in their 0s -- shared their stories here at the regional police headquarters in Camp Dangwa Monday.

“Ka Jimmy” said he was indoctrinated in the NPA organization at the tender age of 12.

He spent his life growing up to become a man on the mountains with the rebel fighters.

“They were able to convince me because I was very young and had no knowledge. I was innocent about life and ignorant about the reality.” he said in Ilocano dialect.

He added he saw the deaths of several comrade fighters and he was lucky enough to have survived and had the opportunity to embrace the government, which he learned is offering a better life than just running with fear of an impending death.

Jimmy said that among the things the rebels trained him to do was to make explosives.

He said that he also served as a political officer as part of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG)-Baggas where he also underwent military training, thus his ability to convince others to their cause.

“I was reintegrated in the community to convince other young people to join the NPA and it is there where I learned of the program of the government to help people like me,” he said.

He said he was afraid because he thought that government forces were bad as has been inculcated in his mind, but his realization and desire to have a life beyond the guns and firefight became more enticing.

“I realized I wanted to come clean and help my family which is possible with the government which signified willingness to embrace people like me,” Ka Jimmy said in Ilocano.

“Ka Alice” also shared a similar story, which she said made her lose a childhood dream.

She wanted to become a police officer, but such dream went down the drain when she joined the NPA-KLG (Kilusang Larangang Gerilya)-Ampis that operates in the Mountain Province.

She said she was part of the Mountain Province Youth Association as a high school student when she was recruited to the rebel movement in 2018 allegedly by the Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA).

“Ka Alice” said she recruited other young people to join the NPA. She owns one of the Carbines surrendered.

For his part, “Ka Benjie” said that he was an out-of-school youth (OSY) who dropped out from high school in 2007 when he attended the “Cordillera Day” celebration in Tocucan, Bontoc, Mountain Province where the life of Macliing Dulag was portrayed.

He met members of the CPA on the said occasion who talked to him about the ills of the government.

He joined the organization and was assigned as a political instructor tasked to recruit young people to become fighters.

He said they enticed the OSYs by telling them of the free education provided by the NPAs.

Ka Benjie said he had been doing such task for the Leonardo Pacsi command of the NPA, until he realized he has a family to look after.

He said that his engagement in the community allowed him to know about the programs of the government.

“The day came when I realized I have a family who cares for me, who I care for. When the police explained to me the programs of the government, it was then that I realized I want to be with my family and have a peaceful life,” “Ka Benjie” said in ilocano.

He realized that the highly publicized E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program) and the government’s desire to bring them back to the fold of the law will give him the chance to look after his family.

“I am hopeful that the help the government promises is not only in words but will really be of help to people like me,” he said in Ilocano.

In surrendering, Ka Benjie brought with him an M1 .30-caliber carbine rifle.

Cordillera police director Brig. Gen. R’Win Pagkalinawan, on Monday said they were preparing a case against the CPA and other front organizations for illegal trafficking of minors which he said was  tantamount to violation of human rights.

“These are very young people they exploit. They bring them to other places so that they cannot return to their families,” the general said.

At present, the three young surrenderers will be processed under the E-CLIP program of the government so that they can avail of the benefits provided to those who return to the fold of the law.

Once processed and based on the assessment of a joint team from the police and the military, they will receive remuneration for the firearms they surrendered and will be entitled to cash assistance, livelihood assistance, housing, as well as educational assistance.

“The government can help them regain a good future by starting over without the possibility of being on the front-line fighting the government for a lost cause which has cost them their future. Because of their surrender, they will have a chance in life to improve themselves and their future,” Pagkalinawan said.

Pagkalinawan said that every week, NPA surrenderees came forward asking help from the government. -- PNA