Local communist groups seem to target students who are shy but smart.

Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa pointed this out during the continuation of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs hearing on the issue.

Aside from these traits, Dela Rosa also warned that recruiters of these leftist groups target those who are somehow angry at the world, quoting information from former rebels.

That is why, guidance counselors in campuses should be knowledgeable in profiling their students especially if they are smart and reserved but are bearing deep grudges, he said.

“I-profile ninyo ang mga estudyante ninyo. Pag nakita ninyo ang isang estudyante na medyo matalino, medyo tahimik, tapos medyo parang galit sa mundo, ‘yan ang napakadaling i-recruit doon na magiging extremist (Profile your students. If you see a student that is intelligent, a bit shy and a bit angry at the world, they can easily be recruited and be an extremist),” said Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief.

Once recruited by members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA), Dela Rosa said these students are now radicalized and trained to hold weapons for warfare.

“So dapat sana ‘yung mga counselor ninyo sa campus counselor i-identify agad ‘yung mga estudyante na ito at kausapin na agad, bigyan ng right counseling, dahil ang dali itong i-recruit (So I hope the campus counselors are able to immediately identify these students and talk to them, and give them right counseling because they can be easily recruited),” he pointed out.

During the hearing, Police Col. Randy Arceo, PNP’s Directorate for Operations chief said the PNP were able to detect the CPP’s recruitment activities in at least 102 educational institutions nationwide since 2014.

So far, he said the PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are able to account for a total of 168 militant students who have been recruited by leftist groups.

Dela Rosa said the fight against radicalization of students is not only a matter of national security but is also a moral imperative.

“We press on to unmask their modus operandi in exploiting student rights and welfare and how they use as a shield the constitutionally enshrined academic freedom to radicalize and recruit students and teachers,” the senator stressed.