During the Duterte Legacy caravan in Brgy. Alimanguan today, May 1, 2022, two former NPA rebels shared their experiences from how they were recruited by the CTG during their time as students until they returned to the fold of the government.
Celine, a secondary education graduate of University of the Philippines Diliman, shared how she was recruited as early as being a college freshman and how she encouraged other students to join the red army.
“Na-recruit po ako sa University of the Philippines Diliman as early as freshman. First year palang po I was 17 at the time, siguro five years din ako nag recruit sa loob ng UP. Pag-recruit sa akin ang binagay sakin na trabaho ay mag recruit din,” Celine said.
“Pagka-graduate ko ng Secondary Education major in English, na-convince na po nila ako maging NPA at ‘yun na-deploy na ako sa Palawan. 2 years po ako naging NPA dito one year in southern Palawan and one year in northern Palawan. Kilala ako dito sa San Vicente bilang Celine sa may Karuray,” she narrated.
In her 7 years with the NPA, Celine recounted her role as a recruiter especially in recruiting the youth, with some of these recruits still active in the rebel movement to this day and some of them died in encounters.
“Sa pitong taong halos na kasapi ako ng CPP-NPA napagtanto ko kelangan pa rin mag tao, malaki ang ginawa namin [recruitment] lalo na sa kabataan, hangang ngayon nalulungkot akong isipin ay ‘yung mga narecruit ko habang nasa UP pa ako ay nasa loob pa din at ‘yung iba patay na. Kahit dito sa Palawan mahirap sa narecruit namin na namatay sa labanan merong dalawan kabataan ‘yung [encounter] sa mainit Brooke’s Point nalinlang kasi mga katutubo… pinahawak ng baril, tinuruang lumaban,” she said.
Celine also shared how the communist group gives false hope just to recruit in troubled barangays.
“Pero sa huli hindi rin na solusyunan ang mga kanilang problema, marami pong pinapangako sa mga narerecruit halimbawa ano mang problema ang meron sa barangay tutuntungan yan ng NPA na para maka recruit na sasabihin nila na sila ay solusyon wala ng pag asa ang gobyerno pero sa huli ‘yung layunin nila ang maka recruit, ang atas nila samin na ‘wag kayong aalis sa isang barangay na walang na rerecruit na NPA yun po ang orientation ng CPP-NPA,” she said.
In her ending statement, she named groups and organizations that have been recruiting in universities.
“Sa mga universities wala naman pong mga NPA doon pero may mga recruiters ng NPA ito po ang mga organization na nag sasabi na sila ay National Democratic Mass Organization nag papakilala bilang ‘anak bayan, League of Filipino students’, in my case ‘Alay Sining’ parang cultural siya eh, performing group siya pero sa loob po niyan merong members ng communist party of the Philippines at ang task nila is recruitin ang mga kabataan para maging actibista and eventually para maging ‘Kabataan Makabayan’ ang organization ng mga kabataan sumusuporta sa NPA,” she ended.
Meanwhile, Rose, a 25-year-old student from the southern part of Palawan, shared how her dream as a doctor was used to join the rebel group.
“Ginamit ng NPA ang pagiging mapusok ng mga kabataan dahil andyan pa ang kahinaan. Pagnagalit ka sa magulang mo, nagalit ka sa school, nagalit ka kung saan papatungan yan ng NPA… Nung na-recruit ako siguro 20 [anyos] pa lang ako noon. Sabi sa akin ‘hindi ka makakatapos ng pag-aaral kasi hindi daw libre ang tuition. Ginamit nila ‘yun, yung pangarap mo, kasi ‘yung pangarap ko nun gusto ko maging doctor sabi sa akin ‘hindi ka magiging doctor, hindi ka magiging teacher pero dito [NPA] magiging doctor ka magiging teacher ka, lahat ng kurso mo makukuha mo, maging sundalo ka maging police ka,” Rose stated.
The Duterte Legacy Caravan is a synchronized event throughout the country, participated by the uniformed personnel, civic organizations and local government units, government agencies and advocacy groups, giving food packs, free haircuts, food, circumcision, health check-ups, medicines and seeds to the farmers.