MANILA – A United States-based organization, Filipino-Americans Against Communist Terrorism (FACT), has voiced concern over the reported recruitment of Filipino-American youth into the New People’s Army (NPA), the armed group linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
In a recent social media post, FACT highlighted the case of a Filipino-American woman believed to have joined the rebel movement in Occidental Mindoro and may have been injured during recent clashes with government forces.
The group identified the individual as 27-year-old Christina Pasion from Maryland, who is suspected to be among those wounded in encounters between soldiers and NPA fighters in San Jose town last month.
Pasion was reportedly accompanied by another Fil-Am activist, 24-year-old Chantal Anicoche, who traveled to the Philippines in December. Anicoche was later rescued by military personnel near an NPA camp in Abra de Ilog following an armed confrontation earlier this year and was eventually reunited with her family in the US.
Military operations in Mindoro led to multiple encounters, including a March 24 clash in Barangay Monteclaro that left several rebels injured, and another on March 29 that resulted in the death of Army 1st Lt. Dean Oyando and injuries to two soldiers. A female rebel was also captured after the incident.
According to FACT, documents recovered by the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division suggest the presence of foreign nationals in the area. Among these was a journal believed to belong to Pasion, which indicated emotional distress and possible regret over her situation.
The group claimed that some Filipino-American recruits may not have been fully informed about the designation of the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization in the United States.
FACT expressed concern for Pasion’s safety and called on her to surrender, emphasizing the importance of her well-being and the possibility of reuniting with her family.
ia/xf
