Activist’s mom urges Liza, Catriona to protect the youth

FILE: In photo during a press conference in Manila on Friday (August 23) is group member Relissa Lucena, who still has not seen her daughter after the latter left home to join the communist group. (PNA photo by Christine Cudis)

MANILA – A mother whose daughter was taken away from her after being recruited by a leftist group wrote an open letter to actress Liza Soberano and Ms. Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.

Relissa Lucena, in her Facebook post on Oct. 25, said while she respects Soberano and Gray’s advocacy to speak up about women and children’s rights, they also have an obligation to “lead the youth to the right path” as popular celebrities today.

She said while everyone is entitled to his or her own rights and privileges, these things also come with responsibilities.

“Bilang mamamayan ng bansa, meron kang karapatan bilang Filipino at bilang artista, ngunit sa bawat karapatan na iyong tinatamasa meron din itong kaakibat na responsibilidad na dalhin ang mga taong sumusunod at tumitingala sa’yo bilang idolo na dalhin sila sa tamang landas na walang bantang kapahamakan (As a citizen, you have rights as a Filipino and as an artist, but with every right that you enjoy, there is a corresponding responsibility to bring those who follow or idolize you to the right path),” Lucena said.

Lucena said her family was a victim of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and their front organizations.

“Ako po at ang aming pamilya ay isa sa mukha ng mga na biktima ng CPP-NPA-NDF at kabilang ang Gabriela sa itinuturing mapaminsalang organisasyon na sumisira ng kinabukasan ng aming mga anak ito ay ayon sa ahensya ng Pilipinas na nangangalaga ng inyong katiwasayan at kapayapaan mula sa terorismo at krimen (Me and my family are victims of the CPP-NPA-NDF and Gabriela is considered as a destructive organization that ruins the future of our children, and this is according to the agency that is responsible for the peace and order of the country against crimes and terrorism),” she said.

False advocacies

Like artists and celebrities, Lucena said it is also the obligation of military officials and the rest of uniformed personnel to assure the safety of Filipinos and inform them of false advocacies and destructive organizations.

Lucena also told Soberano and Gray about her daughter, Alicia Jasper or AJ, who was recruited by leftist groups when she was only 16 years old.

She said she tried to fight for AJ to have a complete family.

She said she hoped for a good future for AJ, and has sacrificed a lot to get her back while her family waits for her to come home.

Lucena also posted a photo of her daughter AJ taken in August last year together with the Makabayan bloc at the House of Representatives where she was presented to the media.

AJ was seated in the middle of Makabayan Bloc congressmen that include Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Rep.

France Castro, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago, and Alex Danday, spokesperson of the Anakbayan.

Lucena said this was the last time she saw AJ.

The congressmen in the photo, she said, are government officials who are paid by taxpayer’s money.

“Ipinaglayo nila kaming mag-anak, bilang kinatawan ng gobyerno it’s their duty na maging daan upang ayusin ang problemang pampamilya at hindi sirain, ngunit hindi ito nangyari (they separated our family, as government officials it is their duty to help families stay intact and not destroy them),” her post reads.

Lucena told Soberano and Gray that as popular celebrities, they have an obligation to research about the group they are affiliating themselves with.

“Bilang isang pampublikong pigura ng bayang itong meron kang obligasyon na alamin ang organisasyon kung tama ba na dalhin mo ang aming mga kabataan o iyong tagasunod sa organisasyon na maari silang mapahamak? (As a public figure, you have the obligation to know and identify organizations, and is it correct to bring our youth and children or your followers to an organization that may lead them to danger?),” Lucena said.