SAN JOSE, Antique – Policemen here will intensify their school visits to covert recruitment activities of leftist groups.
Municipal police station chief Lieutenant Colonel Mark Anthony Darroca on Friday said that they plan to make more frequent visits to schools in the municipality starting next week.
“If we used to visit the schools once a week or once a month before, we intend to have a police presence almost every day now to prevent NPA (New People’s Army) from recruiting students,” he said.
Darroca, however, noted one challenge they would be facing is the lack of personnel.
This capital town hosts two public secondary schools – the Antique National School and San Pedro National High School; private colleges St. Anthony’s College and Advance Central College; and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-accredited training schools.
“As you know, recruitment of these communist rebels does not only happen among schools but even up to the barangay level,” he said.
He cited as evidence the operation of the seven officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) who were killed in an encounter with joint police and army troops in Barangay Atabay here on Aug. 15, 2018.
“We learned that the seven CPP-NPA-NDF officials were educated, talented and skillful who could easily persuade our young students here,” he said.
Darroca said parents could help the police by closely monitoring and guiding their children as the NPA usually makes false promises.
“Parents would be suspicious if suddenly their children’s behavior changes into being rebellious,” he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (With a report from PNA/PN)
