Former Youth Leader & others 5 NPA Arrested in Negros Oriental

Six New People’s Army rebels, including a former female director of Anakbyan UP Cebu, was recently arrested by the 62nd Infantry Battalion in Mabinay, Negros Oriental for carrying firearms (M-4 & M-16 assault rifles) and explosives (M-203 grenade launcher). They were then brought to the Hall of Justice in Dumaguete City for further assessment and questioning.

6 NPA Arrested in Negros Oriental

According to a radio interview with Myles Albasin, one of the captured rebels, she and her companions were in a remote community of Luyang Mabinay to discuss poverty among the farmers in the area. She admitted to be part of the NPA, however, she denied the claim of the illegal firearms to be her own but of the “organization”. She declined to elaborate afterward. The six New People’s Army who were arrested were identified as:

• Myles Albasin (21 years old from Cagayan de Oro City)
• Carlo Ybañez (18 years old from Mandaue City, Cebu)
• Ajomar Indico (29 years old from Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental)
• Randel Hermino (19 years old from Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental)
• Joel Baylosis (18 years old from Mabinay, Negros Oriental)
• Bernard Guillen (18 years old of Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental)

Female NPA – Awakening or Alarming?

Both the media and the public cannot deny that Myles’ appearance and capture has both an alarm and an awakening. It was alarming to most people since military forces are known for their records in violent & inhuman treatments towards their captives especially females. Myles Albasin was the former director of Anakbyan University of the Philippines Cebu and a graduate of May 2017 with the degree of Mass Communication.

Back in November 2017, Josephine Lapira and Kamil Manangan (women activist) were brutally murdered and were barely recognizable after an alleged encounter with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It is undeniable that Albasin’s arrest was an awakening to the equal possible gender roles even in revolutionary groups.

Blinding Truth

The truth and the surprise does not stop there. During a speech to Mindanao, macho-fascist President Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines made a remark that quotes:

If you had raped three, I will admit it, that’s on me” the president said.

He even encouraged the military to shoot women rebels in their vagina. Of course, these are all part of the president’s “humor” and offensive as they may seem, it is, after all, his warmth of “joke”.

Despite being a joke, the military forces of Negros Oriental have disclosed the name of Myles Albasin on media reports for “security reasons” for the fear for her and her companions’ safety.