‘Missing’ student says parents brought her to Camp Aguinaldo to ‘talk her out’ of activism

Alicia Lucena, one of the senior high school students who allegedly disappeared after supposedly being recruited by Anakbayan, said on Wednesday that her parents had brought her to Camp Aguinaldo and Camp Bagong Diwa to try to talk her out of being an activist.

In a press conference at the House of Representatives with the members of the Makabayan Bloc, Lucena stressed that she was not missing and that she left home on purpose, contrary to the statements of her mother, Relissa Lucena, during the Senate hearings led by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa on allegedly missing students.

"Nung panahon na nasa bahay ako ay dinadala nila ako sa Camp Aguinaldo, sa Camp Bagong Diwa dahil sa pagiging aktibista ko. Ina-accuse nila ako na aakyat ako ng bundok," Lucena said, referring to her parents.

"Kapag dinadala nila ako, hindi ako aware na dadalhin ako doon sa kampo. Magugulat na lang ako na nandoon na ako. Ang ginagawa nila sa akin ay kinakausap nila ako. Hindi ako nag-e-engage pero mostly nagkukwento sila sa akin ng mga ginagawa nila tapos parang ina-assume talaga nila na may ginagawa akong iligal," she added.

Lucena said that those who talked to her inside the camps were "rebel surrenderees" who claimed to be "former NPAs (New People's Army members)."

At least five senior high school students allegedly went missing after supposedly being recruited by left leaning groups, and their mothers emotionally recounted during the Senate hearing last week how their behavior changed since becoming a part of these organizations.

But Lucena said she did not know the other allegedly missing students before the news of their supposed disappearance broke.

"Ngayon ko lang din sila nakilala nung nalaman kong nawawala rin sila. Kahapon kasama ko si Lory na isa sa mga kabataan na in-assume na nawawala," she said.

Lucena said she has already dropped out of school and that she wants to fight certain policies in educational institutions.

"Gusto kong labanan yung pagtaas ng tuition sa schools, yung mga issues na gustong ipatupad katulad ng mandatory ROTC," she said.

Lucena said she no longer has communication with her parents since leaving home on July 10, but she still reaches out to her sister and her other relatives.

She said, though, that she is open to talking to her mother again once she understands what Alicia is doing.

"Sa tingin ko, hindi siya aware sa consequences ng paglapit sa militar at sa PNP. Pero kahit ganun, patuloy pa rin naman ako noong panahon na nandoon ako sa kanila. Kahit kumikilos ako na wala sa bahay, pinapaliwanag ko sa kanila na yung pagiging aktibista ko, yung pinaglalaban ko, pinaglalaban namin," she said.

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Zarate, nevertheless, said members of the Makabayan Bloc have offered Lucena advice, including talking about the situation with her parents for better understanding.

"Pinapayuhan namin sila na kailangan talagang i-win over mo 'yung pamilya mo, magpapaliwanag ka hanggang sa umabot sa punto na maintindihan ka nila, hindi man sila sumasang-ayon sa iyong paninindigan, ganun naman basic. We can agree to disagree sa ating pamilya," he said.

"Bilang magulang [naman], hindi rin tama na i-impose din natin ang ating gusto sa ating anak especially na sila ay of age na. The most we can do is to continue giving our guidance and advice to them," he added.

The Makabayan Bloc also vowed that they will try to help reconcile Lucena with her parents. — BM, GMA News