𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗣𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗼𝘂𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗹: '𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗨𝘀 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗹𝘆'

February 20, 2025

Former ranking officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People's Army (CPP-NPA) have issued a damning challenge to Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel to face them and publicly deny his involvement in recruiting students into the underground movement.

Manuel's former comrades appeared in a press conference and painted a clear picture of Manuel’s deep entanglement with the CPP-NPA, including his alleged participation in a revolutionary integration program inside an NPA camp in Mindanao in 2017, when he was still University of the Philippinss Student Regent.

The former rebels- Justine Kate Raca and Arian Jane Ramos- disclosed that some of Manuel's recruits turned up dead or were wounded in encounters with government troops not long after they joined the NPA.

Raca said she and Manuel facilitated not only the recruitment of students but their radicalization as well.

She claimed that during his tenure as UP student regent, Manuel used his position to systematically recruit and indoctrinate young students.

Ramos, a former Gabriela Youth leader and ex-secretary of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Command, provided damning evidence that Manuel personally underwent revolutionary integration in 2017.

"You cannot enter an NPA camp unless you are a member of the Communist Party. Manuel was there. He stayed with the NPA while others in his group were later killed in encounters, arrested, or surrendered," Ramos revealed.

She further disclosed that she personally processed Manuel’s recommendation for integration and retains a copy of the document bearing his name and alias, along with that of his companion Kurt Sosa, who later surrendered to authorities.

Former NPA political officer Raca reinforced Ramos’ allegations, detailing how Manuel was a central figure in the CPP-NPA’s recruitment machinery inside UP.

"He wasn’t just a recruiter—he was an operator. He coordinated efforts across all UP campuses, from Manila to Mindanao, ensuring a steady flow of recruits into the underground movement," Raca stated.

She added that Manuel’s position as UP student regent allowed him to form strategic alliances with student councils and administrators, using these connections to advance the CPP-NPA’s objectives.

The former rebels exposed the grim consequences faced by students Manuel allegedly lured into the armed struggle. Many, like Len Manais and Ka Ara, were killed in encounters with government forces. Others, such as Kurt Sosa and Daniel Dellosa, later surrendered after realizing they had been misled.

Ramos and Raca also named former Kabataan Partylist representative Sarah Elago, alleging that she engaged in direct transactions with the NPA in Palawan.

"While Manuel climbed the political ranks, those he recruited either died, were captured, or were left behind in the mountains. And now he acts as if he had nothing to do with the insurgency?" Raca charged.

The former rebels threw down the gauntlet, daring Manuel to face them in a public forum and refute their claims.

"We are here. We are willing to face him. Can he do the same? Or will he continue hiding behind scripted denials?" Ramos asked.

Manuel and his allies in the Makabayan Bloc have previously dismissed such allegations as "red-tagging" by the NTF-ELCAC. However, the former rebels insist that this is not mere political rhetoric but a serious issue affecting the lives of young Filipinos led into armed rebellion.

With the 2025 elections fast approaching, the former rebels urged the public to scrutinize candidates with ties to the CPP-NPA. They warned that such individuals are using congressional positions as shields while furthering the underground movement’s agenda.

"This is not just about exposing Manuel. This is about preventing more young Filipinos from being led to their deaths," Ramos further stated.