MANILA, Philippines — For the past two decades, the military has recorded more than 500 students-minors turned communist rebels, who were either arrested or killed or might have surrendered.
Neophyte Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa revealed this Wednesday after conducting an initial hearing on minors allegedly recruited to join leftist groups.
Dela Rosa led the probe as chair of the Senate committee on public order, and dangerous drugs.
“From 1999 to 2019, a total of 513 ang napatay, nag-surrender, nahuli na mga estudyante,” he told reporters after the hearing, citing data from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
His office later released the breakdown of “neutralized” minors.
Of the number, 362 minors surrendered, 134 were apprehended while17 were killed, according to the breakdown released to the media by the senator’s office
“It’s alarming already,” Dela Rosa said.
He noted that the figure did not include those who have not surrendered yet to authorities.
“Baka mas marami pa dun sa bundok,” he said. /kga