Maute tried but failed to recruit MSU faculty, students, says school president

From the Manila Times (Sep 22): Maute tried but failed to recruit MSU faculty, students, says school president

THE Maute extremist group tried but failed to recruit students and professors from the Mindanao State University (MSU) main campus in Marawi months before it seized the city, its president, Dr. Habib Macaayong, said.

Macaayong was responding to Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara who asked him to confirm reports that Maute and ISIS (Islamic State of Syria and Iran) were able to recruit not only child warriors but also from among the students and sometimes professors of MSU.

“Is that true?” Angara asked Macaayong during the Senate hearing on the proposed budget of state universities and colleges (SUCs) on Thursday.

Macaayong denied that MSU faculty and students were recruited.

“As to recruitment among students, it’s not true. Although we overheard that the Maute has been recruiting outside MSU,” Macaayong said.

Angara, however, pressed on.

“Nag-attempt ba sila magrecruit kasi magkaibang bagay ‘yun eh (Did they attempt to recruit because those are different things)?” Angara asked.

“Nag-attempt pero di sila nakapasok ng MSU (They made the attempt but they were not able to enter MSU),” Macaayong admitted.

Angara asked again.

“They were not able to enter but were they to able recruit students from MSU? What about professors? Did they join the group?” Macaayong said, “No.”

“Are you sure?” the senator asked the MSU president.

Macaayong said, “Yah. In coordination with the military, they are giving us classified information.”

Angara said, “Okay. That’s good to hear.”

The Manila Times later asked Macaayong the reason why the Maute failed to convince MSU students to join them.
“You know MSU students are intellectuals,” he said.

“They cannot be motivated with this kind (of advocacy) if the purpose is destroying human, destroying property. They do not participate in that,” Macaayong said.

“Ang nare- recruit lang ng Maute eh ‘yung nasa outskirts, mga pobre na walang magawa. Pero, sa MSU they were not able to recruit anyone (The Maute managed to recruit the poor ones in the outskirts of Lanao del Sur),” he said.

Macaayong said MSU would offer masteral and doctoral degrees in peace and development and “in order to proliferate people who can control extremism and giving to education to these people.”

“And then we want that all students in all academic programs of the Mindanao State University to take three units of peace studies in the university so that they will grow as peaceful citizens, they will cooperate in the promotion of peace,” he added.

There are 11 MSU campuses in Mindanao, but the main campus is in Marawi City, the capital of Lanao del Sur.)

http://www.manilatimes.net/maute-tried-failed-recruit-msu-faculty-students-says-school-president/352125/