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Students recruited by left-leaning orgs don't automatically become NPAs —Casiño


Students who join left-leaning organizations do not automatically become members of the New People's Army (NPA), activist and former Bayan Muna party-list Representative Teddy Casiño said Sunday.

Casiño made the remark following a Senate hearing last week where parents of some senior high school students testified how their children allegedly went missing after being recruited by Anakbayan.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Casiño explained that while left-leaning organizations like Anakbayan recruit members, they do not do so for the NPA.

"Malinaw sa mga charters ng mga 'yan ay ang nire-recruit nila ay mga kasapian nila para ipaglaban ang iba't ibang isyung pang-estudyante at pambayan. Ngayon, if it so happens na 'yung ilang kasapian nila ay nagdesisyon na magrebelde at mamundok, ibang usapin 'yun," he said.

"Hindi lang Anakbayan 'yan. There are many other organizations. May time nga na 'yung mga taga-PMA (Philippine Military Academy) ay nag-NPA din e dahil sa kamulatan ng kasapi 'yun. That is not necessarily the objective o bahagi ng programa ng isang organisasyon," he added.

Casiño said the end goal of joining a left-leaning organization is to make members more involved and aware of national issues.

"Karamihan naman ng kilala kong Anakbayan ay hindi naman nag-NPA. Marami sila. In fact, they are part of the government now," he said.

"Ang maganda lang sa ganyang organisasyon, nae-expose sila (mga estudyante) sa iba't ibang isyu ng ating lipunan. Eventually when they grow older, kung saan man sila mapadpad, at least hindi bumibitaw sa kanila na meron silang obligasyon sa ating mamamayan, sa ating bansa," he added.

During the Senate hearing, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa expressed alarm over the number of minors supposedly recruited by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army.

He reported that a total of 513 minors allegedly recruited by the left-wing group have already been "neutralized" in the past 20 years.

“Alarming in the sense na mga menor de edad ito na dapat nag-aaral. Bakit andun sa kalsada? Nabe-brainwash, pino-poison ang utak nitong mga makakaliwa para lumaban sa gobyerno. Very alarming 'yan,” he said.

Mothers of students who allegedly went missing also emotionally recounted during the hearing how their children's behavior changed after joining Anakbayan.

But Casiño said this is more of a "problem on communication" between the parents and their children.

"Paano ba magpapaliwanagan 'yung anak at 'yung nanay? Marami rin naman akong kilalang aktibista na dahil maganda 'yung ugnayan nila ng magulang, nagpapaliwanag 'yung anak and then nag-aadvise 'yung magulang, sumusunod sa advice 'yung anak sa magulang, minsan naman hindi," he said.

Casiño advised children who join left-leaning organizations to never get tired explaining to their parents what they do inside the movement.

"Kahit hindi mag-agree 'yung magulang, kahit magalit 'yung magulang, ang importante alam nila 'yung ginagawa mo, 'yung mga activities mo, nagpapaliwanag ka. Whether they agree or not, ibang usapan 'yun," he said.

Parents, on the other hand, should respect the decision of their children and be more understanding of them.

"Mag-engage din tayo sa dialogue. Huwag natin tignan na brainwashed sila, sila ay walang sariling isip, sila ay ginagamit. Matatalino 'yang mga yan. Tignan natin na 'yung pinipili nila ay labas sa sarili nilang interes and that is a good thing," he said.

"Of course 'yung ating mga concerns sasabihin natin pero at the end of the day, magdedesisyon ang mga bata kung ano ang sa tingin nila ay tama at maganda. As parents, what we can really do is advise," he added. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News

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