Truth or Propaganda: Military Nabs Six Students in Sagada?

Six high school students from Tubo, Abra who are studying at the Bangaan National High School in Sagada (photo above and it has a website here) were alleged to have been abducted by the military yesterday, June 22.

If the report is true, then it is another proof that the administration of Gloria a.k.a the Female Version of Gollum is worse than Marcos. If it is a propaganda ploy by the CPP/NPA then it is lame and stupid.

The CPP/NPA version:

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) accused the military Friday of abducting six high school students in Bangaan in Sagada, Mt. Province last week.

In a statement posted on its website, the CPP demanded the immediate release of the six students, all from the Mt. Province General Comprehensive High School.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Armed Forces of the Philippines for carrying out the abduction of the six Sagada high school students. We demand that the AFP respect their rights of the Sagada Six as children and innocent civilians, immediately release them and make amends for the violation of their rights,” said CPP spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

[C]iting witnesses’ accounts, the CPP said the Army’s 54th Infantry Battalion abducted the students who happened to cross their paths along the narrow Bangaan-Buasao-Kili foot trail that links their village to the school.

The students include three boys and three girls, all from Kili village in Tubo, Abra. The boys were identified as Egan, Banglay and Magensay. More details at GMA-7.

The AFP version:

Military officials on Friday bewailed what they said was a propaganda peddled by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on the alleged abduction of six students from Mountain Province by Army soldiers.

Maj. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang, commander of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division based in Isabela province, said the incident could not be perpetrated by the military because it has no presence in the area, particularly at Sagada.

“We have no presence there because that’s a peaceful area. That (allegation) is a communist propaganda. We have no presence there. They have to prove that such incident occurred,” Maclang told a telephone interview. More at Balita.ph.

UPDATE: Students found. They went home to Abra via Baguio. More at GMA-7.

Our take
: The CPP is wrong in claiming that the students were abducted by the military. And the military is wrong in its earlier assertion that there is no ongoing military operation in the area.

SOMEWHAT RELATED POST: The Rebel vs. the General. PHOTO CREDIT: Bangaan National High School.

3 thoughts on “Truth or Propaganda: Military Nabs Six Students in Sagada?”

  1. Yes, we need to give Ate Glue a break on this so-called abduction.
    CPP’s claim was three boys and girls (hi-school kids) and today’s news claims to be two males and four women (only one is a student and the five are well in their 40’s). Very strange how these reporters gather their stories believing immediately the CPP’s claims of snatching. Three boys were even identified by their names.
    They should get the stories from this six people to set the record straight. Cheers….

  2. Hi Trublue,
    Yup, media people need to be a little more discerning and not just parrot what their sources say. Thanks.

  3. Two days later, now it’s four girls and two boys (ages 15-18) as reported by the children’s town Mayor.
    No wonder why some journalists are getting killed.
    Three different versions so far as to these abducted persons exact profiles. These stuff just reminds of Mr Juan D. Now, I can’t even remember to spell his last name as it was portrayed like a jigsaw puzzle!! Cheers regardless…..

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