THE CENTRAL Student Government of Cavite State University has denounced the statement of a military official during a National Service Training Program orientation branding several groups and individuals as terrorists.

Last week, during the school’s NSTP webinar, Colonel Erwin Alea of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict tagged several groups and individuals ‘communist terrorists’ who allegedly recruited students to join the armed conflict.

Alea warned the students against interacting with members of groups such as the League of Filipino Students, Anakbayan, Kabataan, Gabriela, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines and the National Union of Students in the Philippines.

“These groups would instigate walkouts and boycotts in their campuses using various issues, ranging from campus and academic freedom and tuition fee hikes, to the national issues like human rights violations, oppression of the poor, and Philippine sovereignty, to spot possible recruits, O, ‘di ba, parang nagsa-shopping lang,” he said.

“This allows [them] to get the trust of the students, para madala na nila ang mga ito sa mga demonstrasyon on the prevailing issues, katulad ng #JunkAntiTerrorBill,” he added.

CvSU students slammed Alea’s statements. They also demanded an explanation from CvSU President Hernando Robles and the Office of Student Affairs and Services why the webinar was held.

“The Central Student Government-Main Campus stands our ground to be with the students and vehemently condemn the coherent attacks of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict and the Strengthened Alliance on Fight Against Illegal Drugs and Terrorism Cavite on mass organizations during the NSTP Orientation held today [October 24],” it said.

“Through the absence of genuine student representation, the CvSU admin managed to allow these state-funded machineries to spread nothing but hate, tyranny, and tag progressive organizations that fight for genuine agrarian reform, sustainable and living wages, human rights, democracy, free and quality education for all and national industrialization among others,” it added.

Several groups decried Alea’s statements and said the school should be accountable for allowing members of the military in school activities.

The League of Filipino Students-Cavite said the statements made by Alea were ‘baseless red-tagging’ and can be used to silence students.

The POST tried but failed to get the side of CvSU on the issue.