Bakwit School Program linked to CPP-NPA; SOS claims diversion
CEBU, Philippines — Alleged former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) have claimed that the Lumad Bakwit School was a facade of a “large-scale systematic human trafficking” used as recruitment method and to generate fund internationally.
In a press conference yesterday, individuals who claimed as former members of the CPP-NPA presented to the media the system behind the Bakwit School allegedly linked to a network of CPP-NPA.
Among them was Ka Eric who said that he was the former national coordinator of the CPP-NPA group and an ex-cadre.
According to him, they came to Cebu City all the way from Mindanao to explain that what transpired in the Bakwit School here is just an “extension” of the big program plotted by the CPP-NPA in the country particularly in the areas of Mindanao.
Ka Eric added they went to Cebu City to also reveal the “truth” behind the so-called rescue operation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development along with the Philippine National Police inside a retreat house of the University of San Carlo last February 15, 2021.
"Ang pagkakaroon ng so-called Lumad Bakwit School sa Cebu ay walang pinagkaiba sa CPP-NPA na hakutin illegal, at makapag-linlang at makapangloko ng mga kabataang katutubong upang i-showcase na sila ay hina-harass ng gobyerno, ng military at police," Ka Eric told reporters.
Ka Eric further said that their main objective is to make the government appears no care of the welfare of the indigenous communities especially in the education aspect.
The indigenous children were allegedly recruited from their community in Mindanao to be an instrument for their “project proposal” through Mindanao Interfaith Solidarity Foundation (MISFI).
"Ito po ay isang orchestrated, planado at premeditated program upang mag-generate ng pundo at upang makapag-generate ng pundo para sa pagbili ng armas at pagpupundo para sa mga operatiba at functionary ng CPP-NPA, ginawa nila ito ng parang isang school program," said Ka Eric.
Ka Eric claimed further that Cebu City was part of their targets for the Lumad Bakwit School to generate funds, public sympathy and to recruit members.
Along with Ka Eric was another alleged ex-cadre, Ka Noel Legaspi, who was also the former spokesperson of the NPA-Far South Mindanao Regional Revolutionary Committee and former teachers of Bakwit School who also claimed to be former members of the CPP-NPA.
Ka Eric said there were 300 teachers who were recruited while 20 of them surrendered back to the government.
Ka Noel for his part also said that the project proposal will take a big part to generate funding internationally among funding agencies.
These teachers were accordingly recruited to be scholars under MISFI and Rural Missionary of the Philippines. As soon as they will graduate, they will stand as teachers of the Lumad schools in which according to Ka Eric made by the CPP-NPA.
Ka Eric further accused Chad Booc, one of the arrested individual for the detention of the Lumad children in USC, as known CPP-NPA operative.
"The deployment of Chad Booc is purposely to infiltrate the program sa mga hanay ng hindi pa masyadong kilala kung kaya ay binuo nila ang SOS (Save Our Schools Network). Si Chad Booc ay kilalang number one radical infiltrator at agitator ng mga kabataang nakuha dyan (USC) ay na rescue," said Ka Eric.
Diversion
Rius Valle, SOS national spokesperson and lead secretariat, when sought for comments said that the PNP are playing puppeteer holding these so called ex-NPAs just to divert the issue.
He said that these people are not worthy of their attention and the diversion and red tagging don't work on them anymore.
Valle said the reality remains that six children continue to suffer illegal custody, deprived of their right to parental authority since until now the DSWD still refuses to give the custody to the parents.
“Also, karon naay emergency nga gipagawas ang SOS since ang isa sa mga detained teachers kay missing the whole morning. PRO-7 and CCPO continue to deny the relative and her legal counsel of their right to be informed on all matters relating to the case of teacher Roshelle Porcadilla,” he said.
“They want to add more nuisances and lies just to confuse the public and refrain them from uprooting the core of the issue which is the sell-out of ancestral lands, the rampant human rights violations especially in Mindanao and the attempt of this administration to silence critics,” he added.
Valle said that this is why they are calling the Commission on Human Rights to help them find teacher Roshelle and investigate the psy-war tactics to confuse and co-opt our volunteer teachers.
Further, Valle said that these issues blur the reality that the statement of the core witnesses, the children, remains hidden from the public.
“Until now they are unheard and silenced. And so we call, if you want the truth, let Lumad children speak for themselves free from threat and police intimidation,” Valle further said.
It was first reported that the SOS was the organization behind the Bakwit School. During the previous interviews, the bakwit is the “highest expression” of the Lumad children to descend from their ancestral land after they were allegedly militarized from their community through forced closures of their schools.
The said Lumad children accordingly, went to Cebu to seek sanctuary.
On February 15, 2021, the PNP along with the other government agencies carried out a controversial rescue operation to retrieve a total of 19 children in a retreat house inside the USC that resulted into the arrest of seven individuals.
They were later charged with kidnapping and serious illegal detention. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, GMR (FREEMAN)
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