Philippine National Police chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Thursday warned college professors who teach communist ideologies that they will be charged with contempt as he scolded students of state universities for biting the hand of the government that shoulders their free education.
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Albayalde made the statement even as Malacañang downplayed concerns that the hunt for conspirators in the Red October plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte will lead to a crackdown against student activists.
READ: Palace to Reds: Sorry, no ML stage to destab
Armed Forces deputy chief of staff for operations Brig. Gen. Antonio Parlade Jr. on Wednesday identified 18 colleges and universities that have allegedly been tapped for communist recruitment.
“What if we charge teachers who instigate their students? They should also be charged for contempt for teaching such things to our students. We in the PNP sacrifice our lives for our country. We are trying to save generations. Yet we teach these [rebellious ideas] to our students,” Albayalde said.
“In state universities, you are given free education by the government. And yet you have not yet graduated and you are already going against the same government that gives you free education. Students in state universities are considered the cream of the crop. They should be the hope of the land,” he added.
Video telecon with Joma, films on martial law
AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said they have received complaints from parents who were worried that their children were being “brainwashed.”
“Their children were subjected to like films showing; video teleconferencing with a terrorist leader like Jose Ma. Sison; and Martial law reenactments during break time of high school student, among others,” Arevalo said.
“As a good number of us in the AFP are parents ourselves, we join the multitude of parents wary of these creeping indoctrination of their children that tend to draw them into activism and radicalism. Beware of the wolves in sheep’s clothing—this we caution schools administration and parents about some members of the NPA infiltrating the schools,” he added.
Albayalde said the PNP will “engage” schools to “help” them stop the alleged infiltration.
He, however, clarified that cops will not be deployed to guard the 18 universities tagged by the AFP.
Armed Forces chief of staff Gen. Carlito Galvez, for his part, said he will seek a dialog with the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to address the alleged CPP infiltration of private and state universities and colleges.
“We will take action on that. We will make sure that whatever needs to be done will be done,” Galvez said.
Guardians of Constitutional freedoms
Arevalo said it was not the intention of the military to red-tag the 18 schools, namely the University of the Philippines (Diliman and Manila), Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, Far Eastern University, University of the East (Recto and Caloocan), Emilio Aguinaldo College, Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, San Beda, Lyceum, University of Makati, University of Caloocan, University of Manila, and Philippine National University.
“We wish to assuage the fear of our people about this recent development. This was not intended to brand those schools as communist,” he said.
“We do not censure, but as a matter of fact guard and support freedom of speech, of assembly, and of redress of grievances. But such should be done in a manner peaceful and orderly, and with due respect to other people’s rights. Because the moment they resort to violence, the AFP will be there to prevent lawlessness,” Arevalo added.
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said student activities need not worry that their rights will be repressed.
“The President highly tolerates freedom of expression. That’s one thing we have to give credit to the President,” he said.
“It [identification of the 18 schools] is not a cause of worry. It is just a statement of fact. We have no doubt that none of the schools are openly supportive of such initiatives [by the CPP],” Roque added.
CHR alarmed, schools deny recruitment
The Commission on Human Rights, however, expressed alarm over the red-tagging or the practice of branding a person or an organization as being supportive of the communist movement.
“This blanket act of red-tagging endangers students and the youth and it may give the AFP a license to arbitrarily infringe the freedom of expression, the right to petition government, as well as to assembly,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said.
“The AFP should be more prudent in matters such as this,” De Guia added. Galvez himself admitted that the list released by Parlade is still being validated.
Several colleges and universities in the military’s list have condemned the military’s allegation that communist rebels have been recruiting their students.
“UP as a national university is open to all. We want our students to be exposed to all views and opinions, and all sectors of society. There are so many issues students are concerned about. To call them communist is trying to obscure the issue,” said UP Chancellor Michael Tan said.
DLSU president Bro. Armin Luistro described the “Red scare” as a “wild accusation.”
“To me, if there’s nothing substantial about the report, then that’s the only logical explanation why they are even spilling this out in the press. Media release of an intelligence report does not help any,” Luistro told ANC’s Headstart.
UST Secretary General Fr. Jesus Miranda said the burden of proof lies with the military. “There is a perception that we are against the present government. Is that why we are being tagged?”
“Such statement undermines the safety and security of the students of Emilio Aguinaldo College as they are now looked upon as possible communists or rebels,” EAC legal counsel Joseph Noel Estrada said.
Legislated Martial law
Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc in Congress warned proposed amendments to the Human Security Act—including allowing the detention of suspected terrorists for 30 days without a warrant—will be tantamount to an “undeclared but legislated” martial law that will empower the President to clamp down on his critics.
“This new and insidious tactic is to implement nationwide martial law without having to go through the legal requisites of making a formal declaration,” Kabataan Party-list Rep. Sara Elago said.
“I do not disagree with strengthening anti-terrorism laws given that the Philippines is now a potential target for terrorism attacks. But there should be extreme caution taken in amending the law. Oftentimes, strengthening security provisions means sa sacrificing on civil liberties,” Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said.
The Department of Justice earlier filed a petition seeking to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army as a terrorist organization.
At least 600 individuals—including former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and United Nations special rapporteur Victoria Tauli-Corpuz—were included in the list of names of alleged CPP-NPA members.
