ILOILO City – Former Ilonggo activist and now “star witness” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Jeffrey Celiz, identified three universities as fertile grounds of recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
At a “peace summit” in Passi City yesterday, Celiz claimed the NPA has recruited students right inside the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) Iloilo City and Miag-ao, Iloilo campuses, West Visayas State University (WVSU) and Iloilo Science and Technology University in La Paz district.
“Ang mga paaralan na ‘yan ay pinupugaran ng recruitment hanggang ngayon,” said Celiz, now connected with the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
He, however, clarified he was not “red-tagging” the three state universities.
“Ito ay patuloy na pagbubunyag,” he said.
Celiz added that, “Kung mayroong dapat i-criminalize ang gobyerno, it’s not red-tagging because red-tagging is a concoction and invention of the CPP-NPA.”
Celiz, who admitted to having been a member of the CPP-NPA, accused leftist organization Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan-Panay) as one of the most persistent recruiters of the communist movement.
“Bayan-Panay members are the ones pretending to be living the open alliances, but actually they are operatives and they are functionaries of the underground movement,” Celiz said.
In late October, Celiz bared he was recruited to the CPP-NPA in college at WVSU. He joined the youth underground group Kabataang Makabayan (KM).
Celiz made the revelation when the NTF-ELCAC presented him as a witness in linking Ellen Colmenares, sister of actress Angel Locsin, to the NPA.
In response to Celiz’s claims, the administration of WVSU described as “utterly baseless” the allegation that the university is a breeding ground for active recruitment by the CPP-NPA.
“It is an utterly baseless allegation, which has caused unwarranted alarm and apprehension among our students and other stakeholders,” WVSU president Dr. Joselito Villaruz, said in a statement.
“West Visayas State University continues to commit itself to remain vigilant and diligent in providing a judicious, secure and safe learning environment for all its constituents,” read part of WVSU’s statement.
“Before this irresponsible statement was made [by Celiz], there has been no report or incidents of infiltration by communist groups in any of (our) campuses,” Villaruz pointed out.
Celiz first made his allegation via a radio interview under the name of Eric “Ka Eric” Almendras.
On the other hand, Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said they are continuously monitoring the rebels’ recruitment ploy.
The 3ID, Pancito said, regularly conducts peace and insurgency awareness symposiums in high schools, and youth leadership trainings.
“Rebels deceive students through discussions of societal issues allegedly not addressed or even perpetrated by the government,” Pancito said./PN
