Capitol vows to stop student recruitment by rebel groups

CEBU, Philippines - Following the arrest of three college students who were believed to be members of a rebel group in Negros Oriental, the provincial government yesterday vowed to address the issues that drive these people into rebellion.

“We are now focusing our effort to cut off these matters and issues that drive these people to rebellion. We will be going over that problem… you can expect that the government will do something about it,” said Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda in a press conference.

No specific measure is in place to address the issues, particularly recruitment, but Sepulveda said the provincial government, police and military are in a “total coordinated effort” in coming up with a plan.

The three university students from Cebu were arrested by members of the 79th Infantry Battalion during an encounter in barangay Mayabon, Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental last Sunday.

Authorities believed that the three are new recruits of the New People’s Army in the said province.

Sepulveda said they were informed in a briefing last year that “not a single sitio is controlled by the rebels” here in Cebu, but the information should not be made reason to be complacent. He said the province’s vast forest areas can still become hives of anti-government groups, armed or not.

“They are still here kay dako kaayo ng atong mga kabukiran. Mao nang all-out-war jud ta against anang mga rebelde. Expect jud mu-kombati, musukol ang probinsiya in cooperation with the police and military,” he said.

Sepulveda added it is possible that the NPA is having a hard time recruiting “men,” thus, they resorted to enlisting minors. He said recruiting minors for this cause violates an agreement among members of the United Nations to protect children from conflict.

For his part, Police Regional Office-7 Director Lani-O Nerez believes that the three arrested college students are indeed rebels because of the subversive documents recovered from them.

To avoid organizations such as the NPA, Nerez called on students to carefully study the background of the organizations that they plan to get involved in. He said the NPA is targeting student leaders, but the latter should not be deceived by what he called as “masters of deception.” — Liv G. Campo and Niña G. Sumacot/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)