ILOILO City – The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) continues to monitor schools and universities in a bid to counter alleged efforts by communist rebels to recruit students through front organizations.
Lieutenant Colonel Genesis Gabrido, chief of the 3rd Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO), said the army continue to watch over and coordinate with school authorities to prevent the New People’s Army (NPA) from recruiting students with the start of face-to-face classes.
“Patuloy ang ating awareness campaign to students to prevent the rebels from recruiting them. The school authorities and parents have a big role on this. To the parents, they should monitor the activities of their children and the school as well,” Gabrido said.
The rebels, he added, need to recruit new members because many of their members had already surrendered to the government and others were captured.
Records from the 3ID showed that from January to present, 42 rebels were neutralized, of whom 21 were from Negros Occidental and Panay Island.
Of the 42, 16 were killed, 24 surrendered and the rest were apprehended.
The 3ID also seized 74 firearms./PN
