PRESIDENTIAL Adviser on Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr., a former military chief, said Tuesday, August 20, that heightened police visibility in schools can deter the supposed recruitment of students by Leftist groups.
Speaking to Palace reporters, Galvez said there might be potential "security gap" if there is no intensified police presence in schools and universities that have allegedly been infiltrated by the communists.
"I believe the state police should not be restricted to enforce the law. Kasi kung magkakaroon po ng restrictions, there are possibilities na magkakaroon po ng security gap (Because if there will be restrictions, there are possibilities that there might be security gap)," Galvez said.
"We have to allow. Kasi if we will not allow it, that will be in the people [who] will be deprived of the security, lalo na ngayon ang daming recruitments sa mga student (especially now that there are recruitments of students)," he added.
Amid supposed efforts of the communist movement to recruit minor students, neophyte Senator Ronald dela Rosa sought the enactment of an enabling law that will allow "intensified police visibility" in schools and universities.
Dela Rosa's proposal came after he led a Senate public order panel hearing where parents lamented that their children were allegedly being recruited by Leftist groups.
But for MalacaƱang, the plan to tighten police visibility in schools will not stop the alleged recruitment efforts of communist insurgents.
Galvez, however, believed otherwise, saying that increased police presence would serve as a "deterrence" to recruitment by Left-leaning groups.
"Hayaan nating mag-patrol 'yung ano kasi ang ano namin normally in countering terrorism and countering 'yung tinatawag nating violent extremism and also 'yung recruitment. 'Yung deterrence eh, importante diyan 'yung tinatawag na visibility," he said.
(Let them patrol the schools because normally, it will help in countering terrorism, violent extremism, and the recruitment. The deterrence, through police visibility, is important.)
"So meaning kung hindi natin nape-prevent yon, 'yung recruitment sa mga student at saka 'yung nakikita natin na they will be exploited, 'yung kanilang adventurism at activism, nakikita natin na talagang restrained ang security forces to enforce yong kanilang capabilities," he said.
(So meaning, if we fail to prevent the recruitment of students, exploitation, adventurism, and activism, our security forces are indeed restrained to enforce their capabilities).
Asked if deploying cops in schools will prevent students from being recruited by the communists, Galvez said: "Yes, in all places. It can deter." (SunStar Philippines)