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| Nilda Villamonte of La Carlota City, Negros Occidental tightly embraces her 12-year-old daughter after they were reunited in Bacolod City on Saturday. |
A 54-year old mother, Nilda Villamonte who works
as a laundrywoman from La Carlota City Negros Occidental, thought that her 12-year-old
daughter was just away from home to attend a dance practice for a cultural show
in the city.
However, on Saturday
afternoon, November 2, Villamonte found herself at the police Bacolod
headquarters, where her daughter was being held.
Villamonte’s
youngest child was reportedly one of the 14 minors captured by the authorities
during a raid at the compound of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno,
Gabriela and allied groups in Barangay Bata late Thursday afternoon.
“Wala ko ga expect nga amo na ila ginahimo ya.
Abi ko gani may contest sila saut sa Bacolod ‘ya (I did not expect that she was
with people doing those things. I thought she was in Bacolod for a dance
contest),” the crying mother said
The joint operation of the police and military successfully
seized firearms, ammunitions and explosives together with 40 persons who were
allegedly linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army
(CPP-NPA).
“Bag-o ko lang ni siya gani nakita. Pila na
kaadlaw wala kami kakit-aay. Kis-a gatawag ko sa cellphone niya (We saw each
other only now. We haven’t seen each other for several days. I sometimes try to
contact her on her cellphone),” Villamonte told reporters while inside the
Women and Children Protection Desk office
According to Philippine News Agency’s report,
CPP-NPA held meetings together with the minors for the past several days.
The child’s mother said that her daughter would tell her that they are practicing for a
cultural contest in Bacolod and would sometimes be away from home.*
“Kis-a
isa ka semana, duha ka semana waay gapuli. Kung tawgan mo wala gasabat
(Sometimes she’s away for a week, sometimes even two weeks. She doesn’t answer
my calls),” Villamonte said
The
mother also added that whenever her daughter would come home, she looks very
tired and hungry.
After
reuniting with her daughter, Villamonte urges other parents to protect their children
from people trying to lure them to join rebel groups.
“Halungan
niyo inyo mga bata nga indi na madala sang mga recruiter nga wala sang mayo nga
hinimu-an. Tap-ana niyo na bi ang recruiter kay wala na pulos (Protect your
children from these recruiters who will not do you anything good. Stop them
because what they do is nonsense),” Villamonte said
Source: PNA
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