AWARENESS DRIVE. The Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry Battalion (91IB) conducts lectures to students of the Wesleyan University-Philippines in Maria Aurora, Aurora province on the infiltration of communist terrorist groups (CTGs) into the youth sector in this undated photo. The initiative aims to prevent the youth from being recruited by CTGs. (Photo courtesy of the Army's 91IB)
BALER, Aurora – The Philippine Army’s 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion (91IB) has warned students anew against the deceptive recruitment of communist terrorist groups.
In an interview on Thursday, Lt. Col. Julito B. Recto Jr., acting 91IB commanding officer, said the youth must take extra caution against the different strategies being used by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) to lure them to join their organization.
Recto said the troops have been conducting lectures at different schools and universities in this province to boost the youth's awareness of the infiltration of the CPP-NPA in their sector.
“We will continue to intensify the information drive and dialogues with the youth to make them aware of the implementation of the goals of the National Task Force-Provincial Task Force-Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-PTF-MTF ELCAC). Also, we encourage the remnants of the Komiteng Larangang Guerrilla Sierra Madre (KLG-SM) to lay down their arms and surrender to the government,” Recto said.
Meanwhile, Capt. Roberto G. Apelado, acting civil-military operation officer of the 91IB, said it is their mandate to protect the students against the deceptive scheme of the CPP-NPA.
On Wednesday, Apelado led the conduct of lectures to some 350 Criminology students of the Wesleyan University-Philippines in Maria Aurora town, this province to avoid being recruited by the CPP-NPA.
He said the 91IB wants to create awareness among the youth and their parents regarding the indoctrination by the CTGs that tend to draw teenagers and young adults into activism and radicalism.
“Communist agents were showing videos of human rights atrocities to students in order to incite them to rebel against the government, including lectures on the issues of poverty, tuition fee increases, and among others, to agitate students and even those youth living in depressed and isolated areas who are vulnerable to false ideologies due to their innocence,” Apelado said.
He said the youth must not be swayed by the propaganda of the terrorists who only tell bunches of lies and deceptions.
“Beware of these devils in sheep’s clothing. We caution school administrations and parents about some members of the NPA infiltrating the schools and also churches,” Apelado 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.
The National Democratic Front has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973. (PNA)
