Senator Ronald Dela Rosa believes that the revival of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) would prevent the recruitment of groups connected to the Communist movement among university students in the country.
In a radio interview with DWIZ, Dela Rosa said that the removal of the mandatory ROTC in 2011 made the students less patriotic and disciplined.
“Dahil simulang nawala ‘yong ROTC, naobserbahan natin na ang inclination ng kabataan, hindi naman lahat, is papunta sa kaliwa. Nawala na ‘yong patriotism sa mga kabataan. Nandyan na pasigaw-sigaw na sa kalsada. Nawawalan na ng disiplina,” Dela Rosa said in an interview.
According to him, ROTC would help the students to choose the right side instead of joining the communist groups that are allegedly urging them to join the New People’s Army.
Dela Rosa led the investigation over the missing students who recruited by the left-leaning groups and he invited the parents of the said teenagers to testify on how their children suddenly changed.
The former Philippine National Police chief believed that a sudden change from a child attitude could be a sign that they’re being recruited by the communist groups.
“Kung nakikita mong may pagka-pilosopo na ‘yung anak mo, kung nagiging matigas na ‘yung ulo, senyales ‘yan na ito ay na-brainwash na ng kaliwa,” he said.
He would resume the investigation on August 14 and he’s hoping that some representative of the communist groups would attend the hearing.
President Rodrigo Duterte in his State of the Nation Address also urged the congress to pass the ROTC bill.
It would require the students to pass the ROTC program before they qualify from being graduated.