The top official of the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade (IB) in Negros Island enjoined parents and those engaging the youth to support the campaign against the recruitment of students to join the armed struggle.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, 302IB commander, issued the call on Friday, May 2, in the wake of the April 27 encounter between government troops and remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, which claimed the lives of seven rebels, among them Jhon Isidor “Dee” Supelanas, 26, a former student leader at the University of the Philippines-Cebu.
In a statement, Escanillas said parents need to monitor their children’s activities in schools as they may have already been deceived by communist-terrorists.
“Let us stand and unite to stop the recruitment of the youth in the urban centers. Our lines are open to help you earn justice by filing cases against the recruiters. We need your help because we cannot do this alone,” he said.
Escanillas noted that there are still young people who join the NPA in the countryside after being deceived by twisted ideology.
“Dee’s death is a result of the communist-terrorist group’s deceitful and manipulative tactics. We must unequivocally condemn the brutality and cruelty of this terrorist organization and hold them accountable for their actions. Their callous disregard for human life is abhorrent,” he said.
Despite this, the 302IB commander said the people should stand with the Supelanas family and respect the solemnity of the passing of the former student leader, whom he described as “a victim whose family deserves compassion during this difficult time.”
In the past years, several student leaders from Cebu also died in various encounters with government troops in Negros Island.
They included Rachelle Mae Palang, 22, nursing graduate at Velez College killed in a clash in Negros Oriental on Sept. 18, 2008; Nikka De la Cruz, 26, journalism graduate at University of San Jose-Recoletos, killed in a clash in Binalbagan, Negros Occidental on July 6, 2022; and Cheene Dacalos, 30, former student at UP Cebu, killed in a clash in Ilog, Negros Occidental on Sept. 14, 2021.
“Futile cause claimed many lives. They were deceived by communist-terrorist group organizers and sectoral front organizations operating in urban centers,” the Army official said.
Escanillas urged the young people enticed to join the armed struggle to reevaluate their choices.
“The problems of the society cannot be resolved by armed struggle or by violent means. Rather, positive advocacy is one of the many solutions to address the social ills in the country. Lay down your weapons and embrace the future of harmony and progress,” he said.*PNA