NYC chair: 'Radical leftists' oppose ROTC to support rebels

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 10:06 p.m.) — The chairman of the National Youth Commission on Thursday claimed "radical leftist youth leaders" are opposed to mandatory military training because they support communist rebels.

In an emailed statement, NYC Chairman Ronald Cardema called on Reserve Officers' Training Corps officers to "to speak out, to be the voice of nationalism in colleges and universities, and to fight all NPA-allied Anti-ROTC youth leaders in their respective schools."

In an online exchange, Cardema stressed that he only meant unspecified "leftist groups allied with the leftist [New People's Army]" are opposing mandatory ROTC out of support for communist rebels. He offered no proof and only cited his former membership in an activist group.  

Asked to say which he groups he was referring to, he said in a mix of Filipino and English: "The lines are blurred there and those groups want it to remain blurred."

Membership in an activist group or opposition to a government policy does not mean membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines or New People's Army. Labeling activists and dissenters as "NPA-allied" is a practice called "red-tagging," which the Commission on Human Rights has warned puts people in danger.

Cardema acknowledged that opposition to mandatory ROTC is not limited to activist groups in the national democratic movement or to the youth.

He said "there are others opposing ROTC but not supportive of rebels."

He said "there are other leftist groups not allied with the NPA," giving the example of Akbayan, which he said is against the return of mandatory ROTC, "but they are not allied with the CPP."

RELATED: Why ROTC is no longer mandatory

The House of Representatives has approved a bill that would require Grade 11 and Grade 12 students to enroll in ROTC, a program that was made optional in the aftermath of the murder in 2001 of an ROTC officer who exposed corruption in the program.

University of Santo Tomas student Mark Chua's body was found floating in the Pasig River shortly after he and fellow cadet Romulo Yumul disclosed the corruption in the university's ROTC program in The Varsitarian's Feb. 21, 2001 issue. Chua's body was wrapped in a carpet, his face covered with masking tape and his hands were tied.

"Because of our silence, timidity, and even mediocrity, the radical leftist youth leaders allied with the New People's Army have taken advantage of our school populations and youth communities to advance their anti-government, anti-military rhetorics," Cardema told ROTC cadets.

'Program prone to abuse'

Youth groups aligned with the national democratic activist movement have opposed the proposal to revive mandatory ROTC, saying the program is prone to abuse and corruption and will not necessarily instill nationalism.  

Rep. Sarah Elago (Kabataan party-list) said Wednesday that the bill was approved on second reading "without thorough study by the committee and no action was taken on cases of abuse and rights violations in the ROTC program."

In November, youth activist group Anakbayan claimed ROTC would "create a generation of brainwashed, fanatically loyal young men and women willing to die for [President Rodrigo Duterte]" and would turn young Filipinos into "expendable cannon fodder."

READ: Youth commission now a 'billboard' for poll bet, former chair claims

'Community service, participation in governance instead'

"Patriotism does not necessarily equate to student cadets marching under the scorching heat of the sun every Sunday, wielding a rifle and mindlessly following shouted orders like training canines, minus the vulgar threats," Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan, or SPARK, which is not with the national democratic movement, said late Wednesday. 

The group said these activities do "nothing to develop one’s talents, skills and character that can be deemed relevant in nation building." It said the government can foster patriotism through programs that allow "the active participation of citizens in governance and nation building at all levels." 

Akbayan Youth, in late January, called the move to revive mandatory "a spit on the grave" of Chua. It also said the ROTC program "will prevent senior high schools from being a safe space as it has proven to be a cyclical system of physical and psychological abuse, homophobia, and misogyny."

The group said "Congress should instead pass legislation that will enable senior high school students to be active citizens through community service education programs and courses." 

In November, Reps. Tom Villarin (Akbayan party-list) and Ariel Casilao (Anakpawis party-list), who are not youths and who do not belong to the same political group, also said they oppose the proposal. 

Cardema insisted Thursday that "those few NPA-allied leftist youth leaders are against ROTC because they support the armed rebellion against the government, they support the burning of cell sites which millions of Filipinos use everyday, and support the killings of our government troops." — Jonathan de Santos