Eduardo Año belies Satur Ocampo’s claim NPA does not recruit minors

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año yesterday branded as a “blatant lie” the claim of former Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo that there is no recruitment of minors into the communist movement.

Año said they have enough evidence to prove the New People’s Army (NPA) has been recruiting youngsters to fight the government.

Año, former Armed Forces chief, accused Ocampo of direct involvement in the recruitment of children.

Ocampo, ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and 16 others were arrested last week in Talaingod, Davao del Norte over allegations of child trafficking, kidnapping and failure to return minors.

“Satur Ocampo and company have intensified their recruitment of children because it is easier to poison young minds and because they need to fill up the ranks of the NPA which have been decimated by the growing number of rebel surrenderees,” he said.

Citing data from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Año said five cases have been filed against communist rebels this year for violating the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

In 2017, five cases were filed against communist insurgents and three in the previous year.

Other pieces of evidence are the deaths of several minors during armed encounters between NPA rebels and government forces. Among them was a 15-year-old boy who fought alongside NPA guerrillas against government troops in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur in April 2018.

In July 2017, two boys and a girl were killed in an encounter between soldiers and rebels in Compostela Valley. Año said several young fighters have surrendered to the government in past years.

“The evidence against (rebel) recruitment of young children is incontrovertible. In fact, it has been reported in the media – though sparingly. Despite being against local and international law, the communist terrorists continue to hypnotize our children because it is easy to recruit the innocent,” he said.

Año also defended the PNP in its decision to arrest Ocampo and his companions.

He said the PNP has received reports that the school has been indoctrinating students to rise up against the government and forcing them to join rallies.

On the other hand, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has taken custody of the 14 children supposedly rescued by Ocampo’s group.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista said the 14 children, composed of two boys and 12 girls aged 14 to 17, are currently staying at various residential care facilities of the DSWD in the region. – With Janvic Mateo