[MindaNews] Four suspected New People's Army militants, including a minor, who the military claimed were bound for Davao City to attend a rally, were arrested late Tuesday night in San Isidro town in Davao Oriental province, with various firearms found in their possession.In a report issued by the Eastern Mindanao Command on Thursday, it said that the 28th Infantry Battalion immediately deployed troops to arrest the insurgents upon receiving report from the community of their presence.
The military identified the four as Jerome Jaquin Apyag, resident of Maco, Compostela Valley; Jerman Andress, of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur; Eking Artchie, of Lupon, Davao Oriental; and 16-year-old Bolantoy (not his real name), of Mati in Davao Oriental.
The military denounced the NPA for their incessant recruitment of minors to join their force, and said it “shows that the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines) does not respect the rights of minors,” which is a violation of international humanitarian law.
It said the militants were members of NPA-Southern Mindanao Region Committee 18 who were tasked to transport “weapons and explosives from Mati to Lupon” when intercepted by soldiers along the highway in San Isidro town.