NPA says it rescued minors forced into militia

DAVAO CITY – The New People’s Army (NPA) has said it rescued six minors who were forced to join the government militia Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit in Agusan del Sur.

In a statement, the Communist Party of the Philippines, which exercises supervision over the NPA, said the minors were rescued during an NPA raid on three military detachments in Agusan del Sur on Wednesday.

The military’s Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), however, denied the NPA claim. It said the military never recruited minors to become militiamen.

Commodore Romeo Santiago Nebres, spokesman of Eastmincom, said the NPA statement was a “blatant lie.”

In its statement, the communist movement said one minor was hit in the crossfire during the raid on the military detachments by guerrillas. Nebres said several civilians were injured not in a crossfire, but by guerrillas firing indiscriminately. Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao