BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Police are eyeing the filing of charges for kidnapping against several leaders of militant groups in this city for taking into custody several minors released by law enforcers instead of returning them to their parents.
Taking custody of minors against the will of their parents is a violation of the Anti-Kidnapping Law, Col. Romeo Baleros, Negros Occidental police director, said.
Baleros said the parents could also file complaints against those who took their children.
The parents of three of the minors had earlier appealed to the activists to release their children.
Fourteen minors were rescued during simultaneous raids on the offices of militant groups last week. They are said to be members of a cultural dance group who perform when militant organizations hold protest actions.
Eleven activists were arrested in the raids, six of them charged with qualified human trafficking aside from illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, appealed to the public not to trust militant organizations, saying many had been victimized by their lies and deceptions.
Arevalo said militant groups are recruiting children to train them to become New People’s Army fighters.