NPA medic escaped from sexually abusive leader; surrenders to military

By 19th Infantry Battalion, 8ID PA
September 18, 2018

MAGPET, Cotabato Province – A female member of Communist Party of the Philippines –New People’s Army terrorist (CNT) escaped from her sexually abusive leader and surrendered to Alpha Company, 19th Infantry COMMANDO Battalion (19IB) at Magpet, Cotabato Province, yesterday; September 17, 2018.

Alias Wilma, 20 years old, the designated medic of Pulang Bagani Command 2 (PBC2) escaped from her group while temporarily camped in a mountainous area between the province of North Cotabato and Davao City.

When her father, Bong (not his true name) knew his daughter’s whereabouts, he asked assistance to the nearest Army detachment and was rescued immediately by troops of 19IB in Barangay Calinan, Davao City.

In an interview, Alias Wilma claimed that she was one of the five (5) teenage girls from Magpet, Cotabato who were forced to join the NPA terrorists last March. All of them experienced sexual harassment from their superior whom the group knew as Alias Botchoy.

“Misulod mi diri aron mawala ang mga pagpahimulos, apan naa ra man diay gihapon pagpanghimulos sulod sa armado.” (We joined the NPA to stop the abuses, yet we suffer the same within the organization), Alias Wilma said.

Lieutenant Colonel Ehrlich Noel Paraso, Commanding Officer of 19IB said that NPA terrorist’s act of preying on its own female comrades for sexual satisfaction only proved the communist organization’s disrespect to women’s rights.

“I call on to the local leaders of the NPA terrorists to stop the exploitation of women and minors and other forms of abuses they are committing against the people. NPA terrorists are continuously recruiting members to join their failed armed struggle, yet they have rotten ranks and system.”

Early this year of 4th Infantry Division’s campaign, there have been recoveries of war materials and medical supplies from encounter sites and encampment of NPA terrorists. Some of which were syringe, birth control pills and condoms.

“This is not the first time that NPA terrorists’ leaders sexually abuse their female members. We have reports in some areas not only in 4ID that sexual exploitation have been happening in the ranks of the said terrorist group. Their leaders made sexual advances to their females by touching delicate body parts to the extent that these female feel molested and sexually abused. I call on the parents who have daughters that joined the NPA terrorists to reach them and ask them to come home before it will be too late.” Major General Ronald Villanueva, Commander of Army’s 4th Infantry Division said.