FORT MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – To increase awareness of the youth and student sectors on “the deceptive recruitment and infiltration of the communist terrorist groups,” the 84th Infantry (Victorious) Battalion in coordination with the Department of Education conducted lectures to 320 students and teachers of Doña Juana Chioco National High School in San Antonio Weste, Lupao town on June 15.
84IB civil-military operations officer 1Lt. Arnold A Quiñon, facilitator of the activity, said the aim is to educate students and teachers on “how communist terrorists manipulate, exploit, and deceptively recruit the youth sector.”
“These CTGs exploit the youth and students as they considered them the lifeblood of the communist terrorism, being the source of its ideologies and political cadres, and for possessing attributes such as idealism, curiosity, and energy,” Quiñon noted.
During the open forum, alias “Ka May,” reportedly a former rebel, shared her personal experiences on how CTGs brainwash and exploit students to join the communist terrorism in the province.
Christine F Umali, assistant school principal, expressed thanks to the 84IB for the “relentless effort in providing the youth and student sectors as well as the teachers necessary information on how to avoid and stop the recruitment in schools by the communist terrorist groups.”
In an interview with the Kaugnay News TV, Kimberly Vania, a Grade 12 student and one of the participants said: “Ang natutunan po namin dito ay ang CPP-NPA can destroy our family, our future and pati na rin yung government kaya naman bilang isang kabataan ay dapat panindigan namin na ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.”
For his part, 84IB commanding officer Lt. Col. Enrico Gil C. Ileto thanked DepEd for supporting the endeavor and assured the Novo Ecijanos that the “Victorious troopers will continue its relentless efforts on educating the youth on the CTGs deception strategy of recruitment until no more students will ruin their future and lives to a senseless ideology.”
7th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division commander Maj. Gen. Andrew D. Costelo applauded the effort of the 84IB and exhorted the youth: “Bilang mga kabataan isa kayo sa mga pinaka-vulnerable na target ng mga CTG upang mahimok , let us be aware of the wrong ideology that they inculcate to the young generations to fight against the government.”
