Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana extended his condolences to the family of Bayan Muna Party-list Rep. Eufemia Cullamat following the death of her 22-year-old daughter during a firefight between soldiers and New People’s Army’s (NPA) rebels in Surigao del Sur over the weekend.
At the same time, the defense chief called the death of Jevilyn Cullamat during the encounter between rebels and Army Special Forces in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur as a “tragedy,” and called a stop to the recruitment of children by rebels.
“Losing the young is a tragedy in itself but losing them in a senseless war being waged by the NPA against the government is an even greater tragedy,” said Lorenzana in a news statement issued on Monday.
“This killing of our youth will continue until their recruitment in or out of school is stopped. I call on all parents to be vigilant to prevent their children from being recruited,” he added.
Jevilyn perished during the 45-minute firefight in Barangay San Isidro, Marihatag, wherein three AK-47 assault rifles, an M-14 rifle, and M-653 rifle were also recovered by the soldiers.
Military forces in Agusan del Sur said Jevilyn served as a medic of the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) Platoon of the Guerilla Front 19 of the NPA’s Northeastern Regional Committee (NEMRC).
The military notified Jevilyn’s family over her death before publicly releasing her killing during the encounter. Her body was eventually evacuated from the scene of the encounter.
The military said it also provided security and transportation assistance to the Cullamat family and coordinated with the nearest mortuary for the proper handling of Jevilyn’s remains.
It said the encounter with the group of Jevilyn happened after tribesmen in Agusan del Sur vowed to help the military in tracking down communist rebels in the province following the death of one of their leaders, which they reportedly blamed on the rebels.
Lorenzana called on the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives to stop “supporting the CPP/NPA” and “denounce the NPA, who have left a trail of death and destruction all over the country for more than 50 years.”
He said the progressive bloc must help in uniting the country.
Lorenzana also said that the death of Jevilyn “is a grim reminder of the effects of the fruitless armed conflict perpetrated” by the rebels.