MANILA, Philippines – The issue of student recruitment into progressive groups has forced the Lucena family to make its problems public as the government continues its clampdown on the Left. 

Eighteen-year-old Alicia Lucena, whose mother Relissa is the private complainant in a kidnapping and human trafficking case against Anakbayan and other prominent Left personalities, has accused her mother of abuse.

“May mga pagkakataong pinapalo niya kami ng makakapal na stick, nananampal din siya, nananabunot tapos kinakaladkad ako. Binabato niya rin ako ng kung anuman ang hawak niya tulad ng basong babasagin,” Alicia said in her affidavit submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday, September 9.

(There were times when she hit us with a thick stick, she also slapped me, pulled my hair, and dragged me. She also threw at me anything she was holding like a drinking glass.)

The police have tagged students like Alicia as missing. Former police chief and now Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa had taken a swipe at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), asking the agency to reach out to the New People’s Army (NPA) to free students “since mas close kayo (since you are closer to each other).”

Alicia had faced two press conferences since her mother and the police tagged her as missing.

“Inuulit ko: Hindi ako nawawala, hindi ako kinidnap. Hindi totoong kinukumbinisi ako ng mga kasamahan ko sa Anakbayan, ni Cong. Sarah Elago, at Atty. Neri Colmenares na maging kasapi ng NPA. Gawa-gawa lang ang lahat ng paratang na ito at sa tingin ko ay kailangan na itong ibasura,” Alicia said.

(I repeat: I am not missing, I was not kidnapped. It’s not true that Anakbayan, Cong. Sarah Elago, and Atty. Neri Colmenares are convincing me to join the NPA. The accusations are all made up and I think this has to be junked.)

Joining Anakbayan 

Alicia said in her affidavit that she suffered from fatigue from extracurricular activities and student leadership roles at the Far Eastern University (FEU) where she was a senior high student. Then she found and joined Anakbayan.

Alicia said that when she joined “narealize ko na hindi ko gusto ang ginagawa sa akin ng mommy ko simula pa lang noong bata pa ako, ang pananakit niya, ang pagiging possessive niya (I realized I didn’t like what my mommy had been doing to me ever since I was young, the way she hurt me, her being possessive).”

“Nagdesisyon akong gagawin o ang mga bagay that would make me proud of myself at hindi para sa kanila. Mas binigyan ko ng panahon ang sarili kong matuto pa sa kalagayan ng bansa. Kaya noong second semester, nag-engage ako sa mga educational discussions at naging active member ng Anakbayan,” said Alicia.

(I decided that I would do the things that would make me proud of myself, and not for them. I gave myself time to learn about the state of the country. So on the second semester, I engaged in educational discussions and became an active member of Anakbayan.)

Alicia said she joined masses integration, then decided to quit school and become a full-time member of Anakbayan. Furious, her parents barred her from leaving their house, said Alicia.

Her parents also took Alicia to military camps where soldiers advised her against the NPA, said Alicia’s affidavit. Alicia had also mentioned this at a Senate hearing on students bring recruited by leftlist groups.

“Galit na galit ako sa ginawa nila mommy at daddy. Dahil hindi ko na talaga kaya pa ang ginagawa sa akin, tumakas ako ulit noong July 10, 2019, at hindi na bumalik pa sa kanila hanggang ngayon,” said Alicia.

(I was so angry at mommy and daddy. Because I can no longer stomach what they were doing to me, I left home on July 10, 2019, and never came back upto now.)

Alicia added: “Hindi ako missing. Umalis talaga ako sa bahay dahil hindi ko na kinakaya ang ginagawa niyang pang-aabuso, pagkulong, at pangrerepress sa akin. Hindi niya rin alam na dahil sa ginagawa niya, mas lalo lang niya akong nilagay sa panganib.”

(I am not missing. I left home because I can no longer bear the abuse and repression being done to me. She does not know that what she has done has put me in more danger.)

What’s the crime? 

Lawyers for the Left personalities have pointed out that there is no crime in recruiting students to the progressive groups.

Neither activism, nor communism, is a crime in the Philippines.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, a retired military general who had a prolific record in the Philippine Army of hunting down communist rebels, is pushing for the restoration of the Anti-Subversion Law which would make mere membership in the communist party a crime. (READ: CREATING A MARCOS? Reviving the anti-subversion law under Duterte) – Rappler.com