CATBALOGAN, Samar –
The Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) here
assured the rescued child warriors that they can continue their
studies after they will be turned over by the 8th Infantry Division,
Philippine Army, to the DSWD’s Crisis Center in Tacloban City.
PSWDO Luz D. Tacal, in
a press conference Wednesday, said the social welfare department will
shoulder the expenses of the children while they are in the custody of
the DSWD undergoing rehabilitation.
This was in response
to the issues raised by the media concerning the education of the five
minors whose schooling had been stopped after they have been recruited
by the communist New People’s Army (NPA).
In earlier interview,
Ka Liza, Medical Officer of the Batter Unit of the Central Front-Samar
1, Samar Provincial Party Committee, informed she was just finishing
her 5th Grade when the NPA recruited her to join the revolutionary
movement.
She said a certain
Tito came to their house in Brgy. Catundan in San Jorge and invited
her to attend a three-day lecture on various social issues, including
that of the political overview of the communist movement.
After a few months,
however, she was left in charge in educating new recruits until being
assigned as medical officer of the unit.
Maryjane, meanwhile,
was in her 6th Grade in an elementary school in Brgy. Socorro,
Catbalogan when her father brought her to the mountains last September
5, this year to join the movement.
Maryjane said she is
still willing to go back to school but Ms. Tacal said it would be very
risky if she still goes to the same school she was attending since the
possibility is great that the NPAs will get her back.
Ms. Tacal informed
though that they will be more secure if they will be placed in the
DSWD facility in Tacloban City.
Lt. Col. Glorivine
Dida, Commanding Officer of the 34th Infantry Battalion informed
earlier that they are only waiting for a signal from the DSWD when
they will turn over the rescued child warriors.
In the same
development, the 14th IB led by Lt. Col. Wilson Leyva, has likewise
rescued three minors who have been positively identified as NPA
members in a barangay in San Jose de Buan, an interior town of
Samar.
Col. Leyva said his
unit was responding to a tip by barangay residents of the presence of
seven NPA guerillas in their village. The military then arrested Nene,
16, a member of Lawin Platoon; Otoy, 18, also of the Lawin Platoon;
and Rex 13, of Dalogdog Platoon, all of the NPA’s Central Front-Samar
1.
