KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- Over 700 students of Notre Dame of Marbel University joined an information and awareness drive against recruitment of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) on Saturday.

The symposium, organized by the Army’s 1204 Community Defense Center, 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade and Western Mindanao Command gathered all freshmen students and Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) cadets of NDMU.

Maj. Dennie Pajel, 1204 CDC director said, the activity aims to give awareness to the youth and protect them from deceptions and recruitment by the New People’s Army (NPA) and other lawless elements.

“We must protect the youth and minimize, if not end, the recruitment of the students in any terrorist organization and counter violent extremism,” Pajel said.

Noel "Ka Efren" Legaspi, a former cadre of the CPP-NPA served as guest speaker and shared to the students his experiences during his active years.

Legaspi served as deputy secretary of the CPP Far South Mindanao Regional Committee and long-time spokesperson of the National Democratic Front (NDF) Far South Mindanao before he returned to the fold of the law in 2018.

He warned students to be careful enough not to fall into the deceit and lies perpetrated by the communist terrorist group.

The activity is also in line with the 39th founding anniversary of the Philippine Army’s Reserve Command (RESCOM).