Parents told to be vigilant amid NPA ‘recruitment’ in universities

From the Manila Bulletin (Oct 14): Parents told to be vigilant amid NPA ‘recruitment’ in universities

Parents of students in universities and colleges must keep an eye on the activities of their children amid the intensified but covert recruitment activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division warned on Sunday.

In a statement, the 7th ID said it is not surprising that the youth are the target recruits of communist terrorist groups as they are idealistic, vulnerable to radicalism and easy to train.

Hence, the 7th ID is urging the parents of students to be more vigilant and be constantly informed of the activities and whereabouts of their children even when in campus.

Recently, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) presented a list of 18 schools in Metro Manila where the NPA isallegedly recruiting students.

The schools were earlier identified as University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, UP Manila, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Sta. Mesa, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), Dela Salle University (DLSU), University of Santo Tomas (UST), Adamson University, Far Eastern University (FEU), University of the East (UE) Recto and Caloocan, Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST), San Beda, Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU), University of Makati, Caloocan City College (University of Caloocan), University of Manila, and Philippine Normal University (PNU).

“The NPA recruitment process normally starts with selecting prospective student members who are smart, idealistic and passionate about a cause. They would then teach them about communism and indoctrinate them about activism. An invitation to join rallies would come next,” the 7th ID said.

“After they have proven their passion and courage in a number of demonstrations and rallies, they will then be immersed in a community where they get their first exposure with the armed group of the NPA,” it added.

In September 2017, John Paul Calica, a student of the Asian Institute for Computer Studies, and Guiller Martin Cadano, a B.S. Psychology cum laude graduate of UP Clark were killed in an encounter with government troops in Carranglan, Nueva Ecija.

Their families had no idea of their involvement with the left-leaning group.

Gerald Salonga, another B.S. Psychology student from UP Clark, was also killed in an encounter between the NPAsand government troops in Ma. Aurora, Aurora in September 2, 2018.

Maj. Gen. Felimon T. Santos Jr., 7th ID Commander, said that the ill-fated students had a bright future ahead of them and could have become productive members of society, until they got involved with the CPP-NPA.

https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/10/14/parents-told-to-be-vigilant-amid-npa-recruitment-in-universities/