The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has voiced strong opposition to the reported recruitment drives by a communist group within schools in Iloilo, demanding an immediate end to such activities. On Monday, the Army issued a statement criticizing the ‘aggressive actions’ of the group after recruitment materials, purportedly from Kabataang Makabayan (KM), were found at two state universities in the province.
The student publication ‘Pagbutlak’ from the University of the Philippines Visayas reported on its official Facebook page that propaganda materials and KM stickers were spotted across the campus on December 6. Similarly, the student publication Forum-Dimensions at West Visayas State University confirmed the presence of similar materials on their campus on the same day.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division, labeled these recruitment efforts as a desperate move by the communist group to replenish their leadership ranks after losing high-ranking members in recent clashes. Sison highlighted the vulnerability of students to these misleading tactics, stating, ‘We cannot afford to let even one student be misled into wasting their life fighting for a futile cause. We will not allow this to happen.’
He called on educational institutions in Panay to implement stricter measures to prevent the infiltration and recruitment on their campuses. Sison suggested that investigations should be initiated to identify those distributing the recruitment materials, and appropriate administrative actions should be taken if necessary.
The Army intends to raise the issue with the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, seeking a ‘coordinated, inter-agency approach to stop the group’s recruitment of youth.’ Sison hopes that students will consider the tragic outcomes faced by those recruited into the New People’s Army and learn from these experiences.