GENERAL SANTOS CITY — Government troops are pushing for the closure of another school for indigenous peoples or lumads in an upland village in Malapatan town in Sarangani that is reportedly run by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and sympathizers.
Capt. Rodini Bogador, spokesperson for the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, said Monday they monitored the presence of the “NPA school” at sitio Lamsalo, Barangay Upper Suyan in Malapatan.
He said the school, which is not recognized by the local government and the Department of Education (DepEd), is being operated by several individuals who are either members or supporters of the NPA.
“This is not a regular school that has permanent buildings. This is highly mobile and moves to other areas from time to time,” he said in an interview over Brigada News TV.
Citing information relayed by concerned residents and former NPA rebels, he said the school’s teachers were especially trained by the NPA to run the school for propaganda purposes.
Bogador said that like regular teachers in recognized schools, these teachers were also teaching basic academic subjects.
But he claimed they also teach students about taking up arms against the government and reportedly give lessons on the handling of firearms and related topics.
“They have many students, with some as young as nine-years-old,” he said.
The Army official said they are closely monitoring the school’s operations and have already identified the teachers and other persons involved.
He said they have coordinated with the local government and other concerned agencies for the closure of the school.
“We have ongoing operations in the area and this is part that. This school should not continue to operate,” he said.
The alleged NPA-run in Malapatan is the first that they have monitored in Sarangani Province and the second within their area of responsibility.
Bogador said they had also monitored a lumad school run by the rebels at a village in Santa Cruz town in Davao del Sur.
The Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion had called for closure of a lumad school in a remote village in Banga, South Cotabato that is reportedly operated by NPA rebels and sympathizers. (PNA)
