THE CATHOLIC Educational Association of the Philippines has denied any links to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

“Our Catholic identity enshrined in our values, vision, mission, goals, policy and practice is directly in opposition to the beliefs of the CPP-NPA. It has been said before, and we affirm it once more: We do not support the CPP-NPA,” CEAP said in a statement.

The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict earlier named 38 colleges and universities which it believes were targeted by the CPP-NPA for its radicalization and recruitment.

NTF-ELCAC spokesman Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade claimed that some 18 schools, mostly in the National Capital Region, are hotbeds of communist recruitment.

CEAP clarified that it held a meeting with the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in October 2018 when 18 universities including Catholic HEIs were implicated in an alleged “Red October Ouster Plot.”

But CEAP said that there was only one dialogue that was organized dated October 24, 2018 with NTLF-ELCAC in contrast with Parlade’s statement that there were multiple conversations that happened between the groups.

CEAP has also belied Parlade’s claims that the same universities have failed to disclose such information to their constituents or address the problem despite giving their word because it implies that organization and its member HEIs have “failed to address the problem.”

CEAP said this is “misleading” since there were “no concrete proposals or agreements made and no follow-ups were done.”

It maintained that its member schools are “committed to Catholic teachings of forming engaged citizens committed to the common good and the pursuit of social change through peaceful and nonviolent means.”

CEAP said its member-schools remain compliant with regulations of the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education.

“We have strict protocols in accrediting student organizations and activities ensuring that they are compliant with government regulations and school policies,” it said.

“We remain committed to live out our Catholic principles of respect for human life and liberties, and promotion of social justice and peaceful transformation. We continue to promote our constitutionally-guaranteed basic human rights of free speech, expression, and association,” CEAP said.

The group vowed to uphold the academic freedom given to HEIs by the 1987 Constitution and affirmed by the Supreme Court.

“This freedom provides our society a space, free from external constraints, where truth can be sifted from untruth and the right from wrong. We believe this is essential and necessary for the benefit of society and the common good,” CEAP said.

It appealed to the government to stop red-tagging educational institutions because it “endangers the security and welfare of teachers and students.”