PNP warns parents of NPA recruitment through student orgs

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said parents should monitor their children's activities during the summer break as some student organizations have reportedly been "infiltrated" by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

"The Philippine National Police discourages students from venturing into insurgency-affected areas to join summer off-campus activities that are organized by groups that may have been infiltrated by front organizations of the terrorist CPP-NPA," PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said in a statement.

The PNP said college students have recently been sighted with communist rebels in various areas in the country that are considered as bailiwicks of the NPA.

Bulalacao said parents should monitor their children "especially that both the police and military are expected to intensify the operations in rebel-infested areas."  

He said that in some instances, students joined communist rebels in ambush or attacks on government forces.

Some of these students, he added, have been killed during clashes with the military and the police.

"The sad part is that their parents never knew of their involvement with the underground movement," said Bulalacao.

He said parents should be more careful in allowing their children to join off-campus activities, which are being used by the CPP-NPA as venues for recruitment.

Bulalacao said that during the summer, members of "militant" youth and student organizations participate in the rebel group's "indoctrination" and "social immersion" courses in training camps in the hills.

"I advise these students to avoid compromising situations and possible conflict with the law while engaged in CPP-NPA activities," said Bulalacao.

After officially terminating peace talks with the CPP-NPA and National Democratic Front of the Philippines, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a proclamation declaring the CPP-NPA as a terrorist organization.

The declaration was followed by announcements of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines of an all-out war against the CPP-NPA.

Duterte had also ordered a crackdown on alleged legal fronts of the CPP-NPA. —Margaret Claire Layug/ALG, GMA News