By Greco Belgica
A WASTED LIFE OF AN ACTIVIST-TURNED-NPA
“To live peacefully is to live happily but to live with misery leads to jeopardy“
The life of a campus student activist was wasted, after joining the senseless armed struggle, fighting a battle that he should not be and dying in a place that meant nothing to him.
The recent encounter that transpired in Sitio Lay, Brgy. Dalije, Miagao, Iloilo last June 29, 2020 between the operating troops of 61IB and members of CPP-NPA Terrorist resulted to the loss of life of a one NPA member named Malvin Christian V Cruz also known as Alyas LEAN/LUCAS who was the TM Leader of Squad 3, Suyak Platoon, Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay and was killed in action (KIA) by operating troops of 61IB Philippine Army while conducting a combat operation in the mountainous part of the said barangay. This, after the 61IB troops received information from concerned citizens that the NPA terrorists have been recruiting minors in San Joaquin and Miagao, all of Iloilo and following to the discovery of the troops about their hideouts, that will be used as staging area for their terroristic attacks against government forces and innocent civilians through the conduct of ambuscades and liquidations.
The NPA members were believed to be under the Suyak (SDG) Platoon, Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay led by Joven CERALVO. Alyas LEAN/LUCAS body was found dead in the encounter site along with his M16 rifle after receiving fatal gunshot wound and being left by his comrades.
Alyas LEAN/LUCAS, a 21-year old campus activist that turned to rebel was studying Bachelor of Science in Statistics Circa at the University of the Philippines Visayas –Miagao Campus in the inclusive years of 2015-2016. The said student activist has been an active member of the League of the Filipino Students (LFS) in the UPV Miagao Campus and also a member of IBON Foundation, a Non-Government Organization (NGO). He was recruited and eventually joined the NPA at the age of 17 yrs old.
Alyas LEAN/LUCAS, being an active member of LFS, used to join rallies and campaigns against the government to address educational issues and school repression. He is from Brgy. San Nicolas, Oton, Iloilo and spent his elementary education at Iloilo Central Elementary School (ICES) and secondary education at Oton National High School at Oton, Iloilo.
The student activist died after choosing to live in misery hiding and enduring hardships in mountains after abandoning his own freedom and family. This is also a clear evidence that the Communist NPA Terrorist (CNTs) continue recruiting minors and youth from target universities being the vulnerable sectors in our society.
LTC Joel Benedict Batara, Commanding Officer of 61IB, 3ID has expressed his sincere condolences to the bereaved family and warned the remaining NPA members to surrender and be instruments of peace and development. He also reminded all parents to watch over their children from the deceptive recruitment schemes of the communist terrorists.
The 301st Infantry (Bayanihan) Brigade calls on parents to be more vigilant in looking after the welfare of their children. I believe no parent would like their child not to finish school, hold firearms, go to the mountains, and fight a senseless cause with strangers who do not care for their welfare. Would you like to see your children dead in an encounter because these terrorists recruited your children? If so, you are a failure as parents. Rich or poor, we all have the same hopes of a bright and safe future for our children,”said COL MARION R. SISON INF (GSC) PA, Commander 301Bde
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