Manila Bulletin
Philippines
SCUs to allow entry of cops, soldiers to stop communist recruitment of students
Philippines
SCUs to allow entry of cops, soldiers to stop communist recruitment of students
SCUs to allow entry of cops, soldiers to stop communist recruitment of students
Published Dec 11, 2019 12:00 am
By Hannah Torregoza
Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said soldiers and policemen are now allowed to enter the campuses of state colleges and universities to stop the recruitment of students by communists.
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
(PRIB Photo by Cesar Tomambo / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Dela Rosa said that University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion, during their last hearing, has agreed to the proposition allowing policemen and military officials to enter campuses. “Take note, the president of UP nag-agree sa atin na okay sila na pumasok ang mga pulis at sundalo. Lahat ng university president okay sila na bigyan ng tsansa ang mga pulis at sundalo na mag recruit (Take note that the UP president has agreed that they are okay with allowing police and military access to their campus. All university presidents, they are okay with giving them a chance to recruit),” he said. “Ang situation right now, ang libre lang mag recruit sa kanilang campus ay ang kaliwa (the only ones who can freely recruit within their campus are the left), which is unfair,” he stressed. Dela Rosa said 90 percent of students in state university and colleges want a chance to be closer to the government but they are deprived of that opportunity. This is because school campuses have barred policemen and military personnel from entering their premises out of fear they will suppress student activism. The senator was reacting to reports that some academicians have urged the Senate to junk the committee report sponsored recommending measures to prevent students from being recruited by communists. It was Dela Rosa, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, that initiated an inquiry into the case of missing minors who were allegedly recruited, indoctrinated, and eventually joined the New Peoples’ Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. The senator, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, denied that the committee report is recommending stringent rules against student activism but is just seeking to ensure that the government is given equal access inside campuses. “Hindi naman higpitan, kasi pag sinabi mong higpitan, sabihin naman nila na academic freedom ay kinukuha natin. Ang sa atin lang, (We are not being strict, because if we are being strict, they might say we are taking away their academic freedom. To us, we just want them to) give the government equal access,” Dela Rosa told Senate reporters. “Halimbawa, 100 percent of university students ng UP (University of the Philippines), ilan lang diyan ang gustong mag-komunista. Being a communist is not illegal, bahala ka magkomunista ka, punta ka dun, pero siguro mga 10 percent lang pinakamalaki,” “Meron pa rin 90 percent na (estudyente) maka gobyerno at itong mga bata na ito, they are deprived of the chance to be closer to the government, dahil binabawalan pumasok ang mga pulis o sundalo,” he said.
Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa(PRIB Photo by Cesar Tomambo / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Dela Rosa said that University of the Philippines (UP) President Danilo L. Concepcion, during their last hearing, has agreed to the proposition allowing policemen and military officials to enter campuses. “Take note, the president of UP nag-agree sa atin na okay sila na pumasok ang mga pulis at sundalo. Lahat ng university president okay sila na bigyan ng tsansa ang mga pulis at sundalo na mag recruit (Take note that the UP president has agreed that they are okay with allowing police and military access to their campus. All university presidents, they are okay with giving them a chance to recruit),” he said. “Ang situation right now, ang libre lang mag recruit sa kanilang campus ay ang kaliwa (the only ones who can freely recruit within their campus are the left), which is unfair,” he stressed. Dela Rosa said 90 percent of students in state university and colleges want a chance to be closer to the government but they are deprived of that opportunity. This is because school campuses have barred policemen and military personnel from entering their premises out of fear they will suppress student activism. The senator was reacting to reports that some academicians have urged the Senate to junk the committee report sponsored recommending measures to prevent students from being recruited by communists. It was Dela Rosa, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, that initiated an inquiry into the case of missing minors who were allegedly recruited, indoctrinated, and eventually joined the New Peoples’ Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. The senator, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, denied that the committee report is recommending stringent rules against student activism but is just seeking to ensure that the government is given equal access inside campuses. “Hindi naman higpitan, kasi pag sinabi mong higpitan, sabihin naman nila na academic freedom ay kinukuha natin. Ang sa atin lang, (We are not being strict, because if we are being strict, they might say we are taking away their academic freedom. To us, we just want them to) give the government equal access,” Dela Rosa told Senate reporters. “Halimbawa, 100 percent of university students ng UP (University of the Philippines), ilan lang diyan ang gustong mag-komunista. Being a communist is not illegal, bahala ka magkomunista ka, punta ka dun, pero siguro mga 10 percent lang pinakamalaki,” “Meron pa rin 90 percent na (estudyente) maka gobyerno at itong mga bata na ito, they are deprived of the chance to be closer to the government, dahil binabawalan pumasok ang mga pulis o sundalo,” he said.