The Philippine Star

NPA ‘amazon’ gets life in prison

- By MICHAEL PUNONGBAYA­N

An alleged female member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was sentenced to life in prison for illegal possession of firearms and explosives, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) announced yesterday.

Alexandra Pardilla Pacalda has to the military and police in 2019. been tagged by the NTF-ELCAC’s She was given a chance to avail Legal Cooperatio­n Cluster as a “fake herself of the government’s Enhanced human rights defender.” Comprehens­ive Local Integratio­n Program,

Pacalda, then 24 years old, surrendere­d but she retracted and accused the military of arbitrary detention.

The NTF-ELCAC, in a statement, said the NPA amazon has been convicted of illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives by Lucena City Regional Trial Court Judge Salvador Villarosa Jr.

Pacalda is a member of the communist group pretending to be a human rights defender, according to the NTF-ELCAC.

“She surrendere­d to authoritie­s only to recant her testimony upon the prodding of human rights group Karapatan and the National Union of People’s Lawyers,” the NTF-ELCAC said.

“It is sad that these so-called human rights defenders left Pacalda to rot in prison, but are bent on scouring for youth to deceive and use as cover for their unlawful acts,” the inter-agency body added.

The NTF-ELCAC said Pacalda’s case is a wakeup call for the youth to “value their lives and families. They should pursue their dreams within the folds of law.”

Pacalda’s case is also an eye opener for legislator­s so they would not be deceived by House Bill 77 or the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act, which will be abused by terrorist groups to protect themselves from law enforcers, according to NTF-ELCAC.

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