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Pen not Gun

by Nimfa Estrellado Straight Talk On September 15, 2019 a youth rights activist has been reported missing. Alleged New People's Arm...


by Nimfa Estrellado
Straight Talk


On September 15, 2019 a youth rights activist has been reported missing. Alleged New People's Army (NPA) member as Alexandria Padilla Pacalda, 24-year-old.

Is Pacalda’s disappearance another manifestation of the attacks against our advocates?

Pacalda was reportedly a former student of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation in Lucena City, Quezon where she was an active member of the Gabriela Youth and the College Editor’s Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) . She is human rights activist at peasant advocate. She was a former managing editor for The Luzonian, the official student publication of Manuel S Enverga University. Graduated with a degree in Mass Communications in 2017.

Karapatan-Quezon condemned the arrest, calling it a part of the “nationwide crackdown against progressives being launched under the banner of Duterte’s counterinsurgency program Oplan Kapanatagan.

In my exclusive phone interview with Pacalda's close friend and colleague (name withheld), she told me, "Truth is out, Pacalda is not an NPA. Just a Human Right worker."

According to a press statement by Karapatan-Quezon last September 15, 2019, Pacalda was last seen in Barangay Magsaysay, General Luna, Quezon while being arrested by still unknown unit of the Philippine Army. But according to Lt. Col. Arnold L. Gasalatan on September 16, 2019, commanding officer of the Army’s 85th Infantry Brigade (85IB), the 24-year-old student activist-turned-communist rebel, identified as Alexandria Padilla Pacalda alias “Cosette/Cris”, voluntarily turned herself in to combined Army and Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel. Denied allegations by leftist groups that Pacalda was abducted by the military. He said Pacalda was a member of the Platoon Sol, Sub- Regional Military Area (SRMA) 4B, Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC). He added that Pacalda also turned over her Smith and Wesson revolver (Serial Number 7288) with six live ammunition and other paraphernalia to government troops.

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According to Pacalda's father, Arnulfo Pacalda, his daughter Alexandrea, the eldest of three siblings, said their family had no knowledge of her whereabouts until her surrender.

Col. George Joel N. Lalaquil, officer-in-charge of the 201st Brigade (201IB) which has operational jurisdiction over Quezon province’s 3rd and 4th Districts, said Pacalda could avail of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) as she returns to mainstream society. Under the E-CLIP, a surrendered rebel can receive PHP15,000 immediate cash assistance, PHP50,000 livelihood assistance, firearms remuneration, and access to housing, medical and legal assistance, among others.The program for surrendered and processed rebels also includes educational benefits which can even be extended to their immediate family members.

I am a regular critic of the Duterte Government’s actions. But that criticism shouldn't be and can't be far more nuanced. I rather be the noble one to hold the pen, not tote the gun. I may stand up again corruption and injustice and always tell them that the poor must be seen as human beings but still, I will give a child a book, not a sword. Give him a pen, not a gun. Not all warriors hold swords and knives, wear capes and armors, know guns and different techniques. Sometime they're just a journalist holding a pen facing their papers, wearing their ear piece and flying through their magical mind.

Fighting wars is the job of our brave forces.  Some secessionists force youth to hold stones and guns instead of pen. When youth are being trained to hold a gun and not a pen, you have basis to question, what we are building as a nation? Keep eye on upbringing of your child.
Yes, maybe am not destind to hold a gun but a pen.  But when our country, house or women and childred need defending  I am not going to use a pen.

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