LINGAYEN – The police are closely monitoring the reported recruitment of boys and girls in the Ilocos region into the ranks of the communist New People’s Army (NPA).

Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil cited the case of a certain ‘Ka Gina’, a 17-year old lass from Bagulin, La Union, who surrendered to the police after only more than a month with the NPA.

‘Ka Gina’ was recruited by a certain Francisco Roman, alias ‘Putol, into the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Makabayan (RHB) where she was indoctrinated on the communist ideology, the NPA organization, and trained to handle weapons and on self-defense.

Another NPA leader, “Ka Acay” also recruited Gina’s cousin, Renita, also a minor, believed still with the underground movement.

She said she regretted joining the revel movement and called up her parents who arranged for her surrender to police authorities led by La Union Provincial Director Sr. Supt. Frank Bucayu.

Bataoil said Fr. German Cabillo, provincial chairman of the Citizens Volunteers against Crimes and Corruption, who was among those who welcomed ‘Ka Gina’ to the fold of the law, condemned the NPA’s act of recruiting minors.

Cabillo said that in recruiting minors to their rank, the NPAs are destroying and putting to risk the lives of young Filipinos, instead of helping them excel in any endeavor that they desire in order to have a good future.

The priest urged the misguided elements fighting the government to instead come out in the open and in a peaceful manner work together with the government on what they want to achieve for the people, Bataoil said.

Cabillo also said police will not tolerate the use of the tri-boundaries of La Union, Ilocos Sur and Benguet by the NPA as their production base for marijuana.

This was discovered in a raid conducted by a composite team of the police in the tri-boundary areas two weeks ago from where they uprooted some P98 million worth of full-grown marijuana plants in several scattered secluded plantations. (PNA)