Panelo doubts tight police presence in schools can stop alleged leftist recruitment

MANILA, Philippines—Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo doesn’t think heightened police visibility in schools and universities can deter the alleged recruitment efforts of leftist groups.

In a Palace briefing Tuesday, Panelo said police presence in campuses can help prevent crimes but not the recruitment by communist rebels, which he said, was usually done in secrecy.

He also argued that the recruitment by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) of potential members does not necessarily have to be done within school premises.

“Ang presence ng police can prevent any crime being committed inside the campus. Pero recruitment? I dont’ think na it will solve,” Panelo said.

“Unang-una recruitment doesn’t even have to be in schools,” he added.

The Palace official made the remark after former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and now Senator Ronald dela Rosa pushed for the enactment of a law to allow “intensified police visibility” in schools and universities amid reports of stepped-up recruitment efforts by leftist organizations.

Last week, the neophyte senator led a Senate inquiry on the alleged missing student-activists who joined progressive youth organizations.

Later, government officials have called for review of agreements between state forces and state universities on the prohibition of military presence in schools

Meanwhile, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde said that giving the police access to schools is one way of preventing the communists from recruiting students inside campuses nationwide. /muf

READ: PNP wants free access to schools