ILOILO City – Two civic organizations staged a rally in front of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol yesterday to call for stronger efforts to protect students from recruitment by communist rebel groups.
More than 50 members of the Samahan ng Defense Force Multiplier (SDFM) and the Alliance for Peace, Environment, and Sustainability (APES) participated in the demonstration, carrying placards and banners bearing the slogan: “No such thing as red-tagging, only truth tagging.”
The groups denounced what they described as the infiltration of schools and communities by communist terrorist groups (CTGs), particularly targeting vulnerable youth.
“Ang aton napaabot sa rally nga indi mag-recruit ka kabataan naton nga mag-NPA (New People’s Army),” said SDFM regional administrator Riza Sumalapao. “Dapat mag kooperar ka sa gobyerno para sa kauswagan sang komunidad.”
Sumalapao stressed that their efforts seek to strengthen civic awareness and patriotism among the youth, rejecting anti-government ideologies.
“We are pro-government. We abide by the laws. Sundon naton para sa kaayuhan sang aton kabataan,” she added.
APES-Panay vice president Saldy Constantino echoed the sentiment, expressing support for Executive Order No. 70, which institutionalizes the Whole-of-Nation Approach in countering insurgency through inclusive development.
“Gapasalamat kami tungod gin padayon niya (President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.) ang programa nga Executive Order No. 70,” he said. “We expect that he will upgrade Executive Order No. 70 to better support development, especially in remote communities.”
Constantino also revealed that some of their members were formerly associated with the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). He emphasized that their organizations now advocate for peace, development, and truth.
“Wala ya red-tagging, truth tagging ya ang kinahanglan naton,” he said.
The protest, held hours before the President’s State of the Nation Address yesterday, served as both a show of support for the administration’s peace agenda and a call for stronger government action to safeguard students and communities from radicalization.
SDFM and APES reportedly have a combined regional membership of around 500, with active chapters in Capiz and Iloilo, particularly in the municipality of Lambunao./PN