Filipinos abroad, foreigners warned against communist recruitment

MANILA, April 27 ------ The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has reminded Filipinos abroad and foreign nationals to remain vigilant against individuals and networks that may be recruiting them into fighting the Philippine government.

The anti-insurgency body issued the reminder after it was confirmed that two American nationals were among those killed in the clash between the military and New People's Army (NPA) remnants in Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19. "This brings to two the number of US citizens -- Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem -- who died in the same [clash], a development that highlights the increasing involvement of individuals from outside the Philippines in local armed hostilities," NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr. said in a statement Saturday night.

Pieces of information drawn from publicly available records show that Prijoles had been affiliated with Anakbayan-USA since 2012, during which he reportedly served in various capacities prior to his presence in the Philippines. Anakbayan-USA is an organization linked to the communist movement, alongside Bayan-USA, the NTF-ELCAC said. Projiles' profile also indicates that he studied at San Francisco State University in California.

The two Americans reportedly arrived in the country independently toward the end of March and subsequently traveled to Negros Occidental, where they were killed. "Our thoughts are with their families, who now face the burden of loss under circumstances that unfolded far from their homes," Torres said.

Source: pna.gov.ph