The 2nd Infantry Division Philippine Army on Wednesday called on the New People's Army (NPA) to release Cristina Pasion, a Filipino-American believed to be with the armed group in Occidental Mindoro, after newly disclosed handwritten notes attributed to her revealed signs of emotional distress.
The appeal follows the disclosure of handwritten notes recovered from a 29 March encounter in Barangay Monteclaro, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, where government troops clashed with suspected NPA members. The incident resulted in the death of Army officer Captain Dean Buen Oyando and the wounding of two other soldiers.
Following the clash, Charlize Garzon was found a few meters from the body of Oyando and was taken into custody. She is now facing a murder charge and two counts of homicide in connection with the incident.
Authorities said notebooks and other personal writings were among the materials recovered from the area, believed to have been left behind by fleeing members of the armed group. Some entries, written in fluent English and in a diary-like format, described personal experiences while staying in the mountains.
One entry, believed to have been written by Pasion based on its tone and information from individuals previously with her, read: “I feel like everyone is playing mind games. There is this urge to leave everything behind and start from scratch. Begin with a clear slate. No more complicated bullshit.”
Another line stated: “Everything is time sensitive. Please fucking kill me right now.”
The division expressed concern that the tone of the writings suggests the author may be under significant emotional strain.
Available information indicates that Pasion, identified as a member of Migrante International, was seen with fellow Filipino-American Chantal Anicoche prior to their trip to Mindoro. Reports said the two were together until they were separated during a 1 January encounter in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro.
Pasion was reportedly scheduled to return to the United States on 14 March but did not show up for her departure.
In a statement, Colonel Michael Aquino, chief of the division’s Public Affairs Office, urged members of the armed group to allow Pasion to leave if she chooses to do so.
“We are calling on the NPA to release Cristina Pasion and allow her to return safely to her family. The writings believed to have been authored by her raise serious concerns about her well-being, and we hope that those currently with her will recognize that no cause should come at the cost of a person’s life and mental health,” Aquino said.
He emphasized that the appeal is rooted in humanitarian concern.
“If she wishes to leave the armed movement and return home, she should be allowed to do so. Everyone deserves the opportunity to step away from conflict and rebuild their life,” he added.
Aquino also reiterated the division’s call for remaining NPA members to surrender.
“The 2nd Infantry Division reiterates its call for the few remaining NPA members to lay down their arms and surrender to the folds of the law, where they can rebuild their lives anew with their families,” he said.
He likewise appealed to Pasion’s family to help facilitate her return.
“We also call on the family of Cristina Pasion to reach out to her and encourage her possible return to the United States so that she may reunite with her loved ones and move forward with her life,” Aquino said.
The 2nd Infantry Division reaffirmed its commitment to protecting communities from armed threats while upholding humanitarian principles and safeguarding individuals affected by armed conflict.