Army denies rebel recruitment in Western Visayas schools

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Philippine Army denied allegations made by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that some educational institutions in Western Visayas have active rebel recruitment activities.

“The report of the PNP—I don’t think the recruitment happened here. As of now, we haven’t monitored any recruitment related to additional manpower for the New People’s Army (NPA),” said Major General Marion Sison, Division Commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), during a press conference on August 13.

Sison added that regarding reports about West Visayas State University-Calinog Campus (WVSU) and Puti-an National High School (PNHS), they have not received any reports of recruitment activities.

WVSU-Calinog Campus and PNHS were among the 102 educational institutions identified by the PNP as alleged recruitment grounds for the NPA.

The PNP claimed that recruitment activities had been observed at these identified institutions since 2014.

However, the two institutions have denied the PNP’s allegations.

The Police Regional Office 6 also clarified that there have been no recorded rebel recruitment activities at PNHS or in the town of Cuartero since it was cleared of Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) presence in 2019, following the dismantling of the Eastern Front of the Komiteng Rehiyon Panay.

Sison emphasized that the military has been proactive in addressing these concerns through the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC), with regular visits to schools in Panay, particularly those flagged for potential recruitment activities.

This effort involves collaboration with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Department of Education, and other relevant agencies.

“Even before the PNP’s revelations, we have been conducting these initiatives, and so far, we’ve received positive feedback. There has been a significant reduction in NPA recruitment, especially among students and the youth,” Sison added.

He highlighted that this is why the guerrilla fronts in Western Visayas have not gained new cadres, leading to the dismantling of eight fronts, with only one weakened front remaining.

The entry of military personnel into academic institutions has been condemned by various groups, noting that such actions constitute militarization and could curtail academic freedom.

Commission on Higher Education Chair Prospero de Vera III recently disclosed that he is one of the newest members of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). De Vera said he is in charge of information dissemination in universities and colleges.

Sison also noted the challenges faced by the NPA in sustaining their efforts due to the lack of new recruits.

“Their legal front organizations persist. Former rebels have admitted that these groups will not stop. As long as their legal front organizations are still there, their motto is ‘patience is the language of their heart,’” he stressed.

To counter these efforts, Sison said the Philippine Army is focused on sustaining its operations to ensure that insurgents cannot regain their strength.