Tacloban City (October 7) -- Major General Rodrigo Maclang, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, strongly condemned the deliberate and continuous recruitment by the CPP-NPA-NDF of minor combatants into their ranks.

Gen Maclang said that the children have the right to live a peaceful life and should be spared from armed conflict. The Communist Terrorists have grossly violated the provisions of Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), General Maclang added.

This reaction came after elements of the Alpha Company, 34th Infantry Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army rescued two (2) girl-child warriors and accepted the surrender of a Communist Terrorist (CT) amazon at Sitio Cabungahan, Tuturingon, Catbalogan, Samar in the morning of October 4, 2006.

The report submitted to Maj. Gen. Maclang by Lt. Col. Glorivine Dida, Commanding Officer of 34IB, stated that while the troops were conducting combat operations in the hinterland barangays of Cagutian and Tuturingon, both of Catbalogan, Samar, they chanced upon a group of three (3) suspicious looking women.

The troops courteously accosted the group and in the course of questioning, it was found out that one of them is a CT Amazon and the other two are female CT recruits. One of the two minors rescued was identified as Lynlyn Labitag Y Jabon alias Mary Jane, 12 years old and a resident of Brgy Pina, Catbalogan, Samar. Allegedly, she was forced by her father (CT Floro Labitag) to join the underground movement. Her father is a member of the Arnulfo Ortiz Command of Central Front Samar – 1, Samar Provincial Party Committee of CPP-NPA.

The other minor warrior was identified as Erma Labong Y Cabarles aka Jessa/Queen/Liz, 16 years old and a resident of Brgy Calundan, San Jorge, Samar. Erma alleged that she was recruited by a certain alias Tito to join the underground movement at her very young age in exchange of a brighter future and a challenging job of “serving the people.”

The CT amazon was identified as Aileen PajaresY Romana aka AMI, 32 years old, a resident of Brgy. Cawayan, Catbalogan, Samar, and a member of the CPP NPA’s BATER Platoon. She narrated the hardship while in the underground movement being a mother of four (4) children. Her husband is also an active member of the New Peoples Army. She surrendered one cal. 45 pistol with magazines and ammunitions, communist documents, extortion letters addressed to big time businessmen, a list of IRA collections from the Local Government Units and personal belongings.