CPP in the "process of recovery": NT-ELCAC
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) said Monday the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) is in the “process of recovery”.
“Actually, the CPP-NPA-NDF (New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) is in the process of recovery. And part of that recovery program is to continuously recruit members to radicalize, to orient them, and eventually recruit them to the CPP-NPA group,” NTF-ELCAC Executive Director Ernesto Torres Jr. said at a briefing.
“They are paying more attention in the recruitment of the youth and students sector. What are the reasons? Because the youth are intelligent, aggressive, and idealistic,” he added.
Torres did not give details on the CPP recruitment. In a reply to a text message, Army spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said: '' We do not have reports yet... But knowing the CPP-NPA (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army), it will always try to recover their lost mass bases through recruitment. That is why sustaining our gains from these terrorists groups is crucial.''
Officials of the NTF-ELCAC called on Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel, who was linked by three former rebels in a Senate probe to the NPA and their recruitment activities, to attend a hearing of the Upper House.
“We respectfully request, if you are listening right now, Raoul Manuel na sana ay mag-attend kayo doon sa invitation ni Senator Dela Rosa so that we can once and for all, know the truth and find out ways to really protect our youth from getting recruited into a violent organization,” Torres said.
He added that if he does not attend, it would be a “manifestation that he is trying to hide something”.
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, who also heads the strategic communications cluster of the NTF-ELCAC, expressed the same sentiment.
“You should face the Senate because Kate Raca says you are supposedly involved in terror grooming and recruitment when you were both students. So the only way that you will be able to clear your name is if you will appear in the Senate,” Malaya said.
He also urged school authorities not to dismiss police reports on students who have gone missing after getting recruited to the NPA.
“The school authorities are dismissing these claims. The schools are saying no recruitment activities are happening there. If they are not happening in your schools, why are there people who testified at the Senate that they were recruited when they were students in your schools?” Malaya said.
“To the school authorities who are responsible for the welfare of the students, do not set aside the findings coming from the Senate hearings. The students witnessed and it is your duty as the ones who manage the schools to find ways to prevent terror grooming and recruitment activities that are happening in your schools,” he added.
Assistant Solicitor General Angelita Miranda,chief of the legal cluster of the NTF-ELCAC, joined the two officials in appealing to Manuel to appear before the Senate.
“Clear your name because many are asking why you are defending the recruiters,” Miranda said.
“People are saying…you really went to the NPA lair. In fact, after a week-- I think they call it immersion-- you were asked if would join those who are armed. They said you cried and told them you would help in other ways. Please go to the Senate and see something these facts being alluded to you,” she said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
