RETURN MY DAUGHTER. A blurred identification card of 17-year-old Grade 11 student Rosemalyn of Cagayan province. Her mother Venancia Gayagas appealed to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army to let her daughter return home so that she can study again and live a better life. (Contributed photo)
MANILA – A mother from Cagayan province appealed to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to let her daughter return home so she can continue her studies and live a better life.
“Sa mga rebeldeng NPA, ibalik ninyo ang anak ko! Wala na kayong ginawa kundi sumira ng kinabukasan ng mga kabataan. Ibalik ninyo ang aking anak! Hindi niyo alam kung gaano kasakit mawalay sa anak (To the NPA rebels, give me back my daughter! You have done nothing but ruin the future of our children. Give me back my daughter. You do not know how painful it is to be separated with your child),” said Venancia Gayagas, a resident of Barangay Bural, Zinundungan Valley, Rizal, Cagayan on February 15.
Gayagas said her daughter Rosemalyn is just 17 years old and a Grade 11 student.
She said the last time she saw her daughter was in November 2020 and since then, they have not heard any information about her.
Cayagas said she strongly believes that the CPP-NPA recruited Rosemalyn because it was not the first time that minors in their community left their homes to join the communist terrorist groups (CTGs).
“Natatakot ako. Labing-pitong gulang palang ang anak ko. Paano kung pinabayaan na siya ng mga NPA tulad ng mga napapabalitang ginagawa nila sa kanilang mga kasamahan kapag hindi na nila mapakinabangan pa. Ramdam kong nahihirapan na ang aking anak (I’m afraid. She is only 17. What if the NPA just neglects her like what they do with their other members when they become irrelevant. I can feel that my daughter is suffering),” the teary-eyed Gayagas said.
Gayagas said she can no longer sleep at night.
“Anak, huwag kang matakot na magpakita sa amin. Kasama natin ang mga sundalo. Tutulungan ka nila. Bumaba ka na para maipagpatuloy mo pa ang iyong pag-aaral at upang muli ka na naming makasama (My child, do not be afraid to return to us. The soldiers are with us, they will help you. Please come down so you could continue your studies and be with us),” Gayagas said.
Major Jekyll Julian Dulawan, Officer-in-charge of the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of 5th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said Zinundungan Valley is known to be a guerilla base of the CPP-NPA.
Dulawan said Gayagas came to them to ask for help in retrieving her daughter.
On Feb. 13, some 300 residents of Zinundungan Valley held a peace rally to oppose the terroristic activities of the CPP-NPA in their area.
During the celebration of the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers on Feb. 12, Commission on Human Rights Spokesperson lawyer Jacqueline de Guia said it is tragic to see children being recruited to become child warriors in areas of armed conflict.
De Guia said the CHR joined the call in ending the practice of using children as warriors.
“In the Philippines, CHR has monitored and is continuously investigating cases of children in situations of armed conflict. We have noted cases allegedly perpetrated by the New People’s Army where children are being harmed, killed, or seriously injured in armed battles, among others. We strongly condemn these acts,” de Guia said.
She also reminded the state and non-state groups that using children as warriors is a war crime and robs them of their chance to have a better life.
De Guia said the CHR will continue to investigate cases of child soldiers in the country.
Maj. Gen. Laurence Mina, commander of the 5th ID, said the military does not stop in trying to protect the children and the youth against the deceitful acts of the CPP-NPA.
The CPP-NPA is listed as terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
