Noel Legazpi alias "Ka Efren", a former cadre of the CPP-NPA-NDF. (Screengrab from PCOO's live stream)
MANILA – Letting people fall under the wrong ideologies introduced by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) are senseless, a former rebel said Monday.
"Ang isang malaking problema, kasi sinasabi nila na they are serving the people but iyong actual na ginagawa nila ay sinisira talaga iyong buhay at pamumuhay ng sambayanang Pilipino (The big problem because they said that they are serving the people but they actually destroy the life and livelihood of the Filipinos)," said Noel Legazpi alias "Ka Efren" in an interview during the virtual Laging Handa public briefing.
Legazpi cited the five decades of atrocities, extortion, killings of innocents, exploitation of youth, and abuses among women committed by the NPA members.
"Iyong ipinatutupad nila na mga gawain ngayon hinggil sa kanilang armadong pakikibaka, sa totoo lang lumalabas na talaga doon sa ideolohiyang ipinaglalaban nila (Those acts they have been doing now related to their armed struggle, in fact, reflect on the ideologies they are fighting),” he said.
He said the public should be vigilant, particularly the youth and the student activists, who are the most vulnerable and primary targets for the NPA recruitment.
Legazpi said most of the recruited students are turned into cadres when they join the armed struggle, as the CPP-NPA believes in their abilities to endure the progressive movement.
"Kaya ipinapayo namin sa kanila na huwag nilang sundan iyong yapak namin kasi masasayang lang iyong panahon nila, masasayang iyong oras nila, masasayang din iyong buhay nila (So we advise them not to follow our footsteps, their time will be wasted, their life will also be wasted)," he added.
Legazpi said the youth could get more opportunities rather than joining the communist insurgency.
"Kung makikita natin napakarami na ang mga kabataang estudyante na na-recruit ng CPP-NPA-NDF pagkatapos namatay doon sa mga banatan at iyong iba nahuli. Iyong iba mayroon pa sa kanila hanggang ngayon nasa kulungan (If we notice, we've seen a lot of students recruited by the CPP-NPA-NDF, then died during the encounter and some of them were arrested. While some of them are still in jail after they were arrested)," said Legazpi.
He also urged the youth to stay away from the identified legal-front organizations of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
"Hindi katulad ng ginawa namin na nasayang iyong panahon namin sa mahabang panahon na inilagi namin sa loob na only to find out later, na wala palang patutunguhan itong pakikibaka na ito (Not what we have done that our times have been wasted for a long time while we were inside that only to find out later that our struggle was wasted),” Legaspi lamented.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
