Class suit vs PUP, FEU eyed over ‘recruitment’ of students to NPA

MANILA, Philippines — Universities allowing the recruitment of students to become communist rebels within their premises may face civil charges, a lawyer warned Wednesday.

Ferdinand Topacio, lawyer of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC), said they are now studying “how to take actions in an institutional level.” Topacio was also a counsel of parents whose children were allegedly recruited by communist front organizations to the New People’s Army.

“Kung ikaw ay School Administrator at hindi mo alam na may recruitment sa campus mo eh inutil ka. Nagre-recruit na, doon na gumagawa ng symposium, ginagamit na ‘yung facilities ng schools para mag-indocrinate, pinababayaan mo, you’re also liable, at least civilly ah,” Topacio said at the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Malate, Manila.

(If you’re a School Administrator and you’re not aware that communist recruitment is happening in your school, then you’re inutile. If they are already recruiting, conducting symposium, using the facilities of schools to indoctrinate students, but you’re neglecting it then you’re liable, at least civilly.)

“Mag-ingat itong mga eskwelahang ito (These schools should be careful) and they should not forget that they are also liable for the welfare of students because they exercise substitute parental authority over their students by operation of law,” he added.

Topacio said among the schools that may be included in their class action suit are the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Far Eastern University.

The Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) has filed before the Department of Justice a complaint against alleged front organizations of the Communist Party of the Philippines for their supposed recruitment activities in some schools in Metro Manila.

Edited by KGA