DepEd spox: Metro Manila public schools used for NPA recruitment

From CNN Philippines (Sep 5, 2023): DepEd spox: Metro Manila public schools used for NPA recruitment (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 5) — Some 16 public high schools in the National Capital Region are engaged in recruitment activities for the New People's Army (NPA), Department of Education (DepEd) spokesperson Michael Poa claimed.

Poa made the allegation during the Senate hearing on DepEd's proposed 2024 budget on Monday, as the agency led by Vice President Sara Duterte pushed for its request for ₱150 million in confidential funds.

Vladimir Quetua, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, dismissed Poa's claims as "purely wild hallucination" to justify confidential funds.

RELATED: Senate panel okays OVP budget, grills Duterte on ₱500-M confidential funds

"The numbers, for example, for recruitment, 12.3% of the rebels — those who surrendered in 2016 to 2020 — were minors, 12 to 17 years old," Poa told the hearing.

"In fact, we have information that 16 schools just within Metro Manila are involved in recruitment activities, these are public high schools," he added without providing evidence.

The DepEd official said the 12.3% figure came from the military's Eastern Mindanao Command, while the information on public high schools involved in recruitment activities came from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency. He did not give a list of these schools to senators.

On Tuesday, Poa said that the DepEd is addressing the issue in coordination with law enforcement agencies, as well as crafting awareness programs for students.

The department insisted that confidential funds will help it provide a safe and enabling environment, especially with the current "threats" faced by learners, teachers, and non-teaching personnel.

Aside from communist rebels' recruitment, Poa said threats include drug-related cases that involve minors. He also cited incidents of school violence and sexual exploitation.

In her interpellation, Sen. Risa Hontiveros argued that security agencies have the mandate to conduct intelligence operations even in the context of education, and not the DepEd.

The Senate finance committee on Monday approved the ₱758.6 billion proposed 2024 budget of the DepEd, including ₱150 million in confidential funds.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/9/5/deped-metro-manila-public-schools-used-for-npa-recruitment.html