We didn’t know they had members who aren’t even old enough to vote yet.
“On Sunday, Mar 23, a 15-year-old boy identified only as “Ka Balong,” son of a former militiaman in Valencia City in Bukidnon, surrendered to the military,” reports John Unson on Philstar.com.
According to Col. Nilo Vinluan, commanding officer of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, Ka Balong will be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for rehabilitation. Apaprently, the boy said he surrendered because he missed his family.
The report revealed that “the boy told investigators that he was forced to join the NPA after rebels executed his father two years ago and threatened his family for purportedly helping the Army’s pacification campaign in Valencia City.” He added that there are about nine other minors in his former NPA group.
What the boy did is no mean feat, as he walked for 13 hours in the forested areas separating Bukidnon and North Cotabato until he reached a barangay in Kidapawan City, whose leaders helped facilitate his surrender.
Photo from WikiCommons
