‘We were not abducted. We were not tortured. We were not forced to say anything.’

EDITORS—We are reprinting the Letter to the Editor by former rebels Job David and Alia Encela to The Visayan Daily Star, August 2. The heartfelt letter, which they shared to Kontra Kwento to set the record straight regarding their arrest by Philippine authorities in September 2023, asked that "people allow us, former rebels, to move forward without being dragged back by assumptions and misinformation."

The Visayan Daily Star, a Bacolod-city based paper that covers news in Negros Island, graciously published their letter, and we at Kontra Kwento feel the world is better for it. To responsible journalism!

Letter to the Editors of Visayan Daily Star

Re: “Red-tagging and Harassment Continues” (Editorial, July 25)

We are writing in response to your editorial on July 25, titled “Red-tagging and Harassment Continues.” We are Job David and Alia Encela, two of the individuals mentioned in the article, and we would like to respectfully clarify what actually happened to us, including our former comrade Peter del Monte Jr.

We were not abducted. We were not tortured. We were not forced to say anything.

The three of us chose to surrender. We were first recruited to the legal national democratic movement and later joined the New People’s Army (NPA). After much reflection, we made the decision to leave the armed struggle. It was not an easy choice, but it was ours, and we stand by it.

In a series of video interviews by the late journalist John Paul Seniel (YouTube, July 2025), the three of us openly shared our story: how we were arrested as NPA combatants, how we were treated with respect, and how we were given a second chance. As we clearly said, “Hindi kami pinahirapan. Maayos po ang pakikitungo sa amin.” It's unfortunate that our testimonies did not make it into your editorial, and we sincerely hope that it wasn't done intentionally.

It’s painful to see narratives that erase our voices and twist our decision into something it’s not. We understand the need to protect human rights because we continue to struggle, albeit outside the national democratic framework. But we ask for fairness. Please don’t speak for us or misrepresent our experience to bolster a narrative that is patently false. We know our truth.

Our only wish is that people allow us, former rebels, to move forward without being dragged back by assumptions and misinformation. We hope for a country where peace is possible, where understanding is mutual, and where former rebels are not shamed for choosing change.

Let us not fight over labels because the real perpetrators who hide behind the confusion continue to operate with impunity. Let us listen to each other, live in truth, and walk toward peace together.

Sincerely,

Job David and Alia Encela