NPA members accused of sexual molestation, attempted rape

By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade (303 IB) yesterday revealed another University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu) graduate has joined the New People’s Army (NPA).

303 IB spokesperson, Army Captain Ruel Llanes, said documents recovered by the 79th Infantry Battalion (79 IB), upon discovering a suspected NPA camp in Barangay Guadalupe, San Carlos City, revealed a certain 26-year-old Alyssa Sumulong of Minglanilla, Cebu joined the NPA Northern Negros Front.

Llanes said documents showed Sumulong was a consistent honor student and graduated from UP-Cebu with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics.

Aside from the documents, Llanes said they also recovered Sumulong’s diary, which  documented her days as an NPA member, showing she underwent training near Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

She later became a full-fledged member of the rebel group sometime in 2012 and was deployed near San Carlos City, and in neighboring Canlaon City and Vallehermoso in Negros Oriental.

Llanes also said Sumulong may have been a victim of sexual molestation and was almost raped by NPA members, identified by the aliases ‘Lindo’ and ‘Mori.’

303 IB commander, Brigadier General Eliezer Losañes, said Sumulong’s case is compelling evidence that male NPA members are engaging in sex acts against their female recruits.

He added, the NPA are committing human rights violations and violations against women and children.

“She is one of the many victims of harassment, deceitful recruitment, and unending lies of the NPA,” Losañes said.

He also stated Sumulong may have kept record of her experiences in a diary as it was only place where she could express herself freely.

“We thoroughly inspected the recovered documents and it confirms Sumulong was with the group,” Losañes added.

The 303 IB commander encouraged Sumulong and her fellow members to surrender and take advantage of the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP).

“Lay down your arms, return to the folds of the law, do not be deceived by the NPA’s fake promises of a better future,” he added.

Losañes also advised the youth to not be deceived and concentrate on finishing their studies, becoming productive law-abiding citizens, and taking care of their families.

Earlier this week, the 79 IB encountered an estimated 30 to 40 members of the NPA when they stumbled upon their camp in Barangay Guadalupe, San Carlos City.

The army reported no one was hurt in the ensuing gun battle, although it is still unknown if the NPA suffered casualties in the battle.

Military forces earlier captured an NPA member and UP-Cebu graduate during a skirmish in Mabinay, Negros Oriental./DGB, WDJ