By Ma. Leonora Estanque/PNA
ILOILO CITY – The Philippine Army (PA) has warned school administrators, teachers, parents and students to be wary about the Black Friday Protest dubbed as “Pambansang Walk-out sa School at Trabaho” on February 21 and 22.
Capt. Eduardo A. Precioso Jr., chief of the Public Affairs Office of the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, said their main concern is the schools because the protest will become a platform for the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) to recruit students.
“This is where the recruitment starts. If they see an aggressive student during these activities, they will start talking to that student, recruit and then teach the student how to fight,” Precioso said during Wednesday’s regular press conference held here at Camp Martin Delgado.
The Army official is asking school administrators to monitor the activity and be on the look-out for and report to them suspicious individuals.
“We should keep an eye on this, especially on the aggressive students,” Precioso said.
He added that some teachers are encouraging the students to join mass protest, even checking their attendance to make sure that students attend rallies.
Teachers should protect and guard the students because it is their responsibility as the second parents, he said.
“It’s okay to join the mass protest. It’s a form of freedom of expression, right to assembly, it’s in the Constitution. Only this is used as a platform for recruitment. They (CPP-NPA) are wise in persuading the students,” Precioso said, citing the University of the Philippines student who was killed recently in an encounter.
“We just want it to be peaceful, do not hold guns, do not create chaos,” he added.
Precioso also said they already have an initial coordination with the Department of Education about reports they received from parents and students regarding the upcoming protest.
The Black Friday protest purportedly aims to bring to government attention various concerns, such as on tuition hike and salary increase.
It will take place in different universities, colleges and high schools in Western and Central Visayas Regions.
