Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 3)— The left-wing Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives on Thursday slammed the proposed increased police presence in schools, saying the move will affect youth rights and freedom.
The lawmakers said the Senate Public Order and Defense panels’ recommendations, which likewise called for a probe of youth activists as well as teachers who encourage students to join protests, will only turn college students into “robots.”
“Hindi kami magpapadala kung nais man nilang takutin ng mga kabataan at pigilan ang pag-eexercise ng political at civil rights ng mga kabataan at ng mga eskuwelahan,” KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Sarah Elago said.
[Translation: We won’t give in to their threats against the youth, and if they want to stop the political and civil rights exercises of both the youth and schools.]
“Ang gusto kasi nilang gawin sa report ito, gusto nilang i-recommend na magkaroon ng mga robot na kabataan na hindi nag-iisip,” said Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate.
[Translation: What they want to do with this report is to recommend that our youth move as robots, who are not thinking.]
The Senate committees, in their report released Wednesday, called more police presence and probe in campuses to deter the alleged recruitment of students by communist groups. The panels, chaired by former top cops Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, also sought for further investigation on the supposed “recruiters” of students who join left-leaning organizations.
Among those that the committees want to investigate further is Kabataan party-list Rep. Sarah Elago.
Elago denounced the proposal, saying it should be Dela Rosa who should be probed for his role in the administration’s controversial drug war campaign.
“Bakit ako? Bakit mga kabataan? Bakit hindi si Senator Bato? Dapat siya ang imbestigahan para sa dati niyang role bilang PNP (Philippine National Police) at BuCor (Bureau of Corrections) chief, libo-libo ang mga namatay na walang kalaban-laban at mahihirap,” Elago said.
[Translation: Why me? Why the youth? Why not Senator Bato? He should be the one who’s investigated for his previous roles as PNP and BuCor chief. Thousands of people died—including the poor.]
A number of youth groups have slammed the government’s “red-tagging” of their organizations, and have repeatedly denied their supposed links to the communist movement.
CNN Philippines’ Xianne Arcangel and Xave Gregorio contributed to this report.
