Duterte threatens to replace protesting UP students with bright Lumads

President Duterte warned students from the University of the Philippines (UP) that he will give their slots to deserving indigenous peoples or lumads if they will continue to walkout of their classes to protest his administration’s policies.

On Thursday, hundreds of students from UP-Diliman participated in the National Day of Walkout Against Tyranny and Dictatorship by walking out of their classes in an attempt to “overthrow the US-Duterte regime.”

Duterte, in a speech at the Indigenous Peoples’ Leaders Summit in Davao City Thursday, noted how UP students frequently walked out of their classes even if the government was subsidizing their education.

“Kaning UP, sige ug walkout. Ganina nag walkout. O sige. Kamong dili mang-iskwela, hawa mo diha. Kay dad-on ko nang mga nitibong bright ngari. Mao’y ipabutang nako diha. Daghang Pilipino nga gusto’g edukasyon nga gwapo (These UP students who keep on walking out, earlier, they walked out. Okay. Those who don’t want to go to school, get out because I will bring the bright lumads there, I will enroll them there in UP. A lot of Filipinos want a good education),” Duterte said.

“So, kanang mga nag sige’g demonstrate, ayaw mo’g walkout sa kwarto. Tagaan ta mo ug privilege. One year, ayaw mo’g iskwela kay pasudlon nako tanang Pilipino nga wa makapa-palad ba, maka-gwapo ug… Libre diha (So those who keep on demonstrating, don’t walk out of the rooms. I will give you a privilege, don’t go to school for a year because I will let all the Filipinos who want a good education in – it’s free there),” he added.

“UP? Gusto silang mag walkout? I encourage them. You do not go to school anymore. Diha mo sa dalan. Sige. Kay mag-kuha ko’g bag-o, ibutang nako inyong mga – tutal, kwarta man na sa tao (Stay in the streets. Go ahead, I will get new ones. I will put them there. That’s the people’s money anyway),” he continued.

Duterte added that he would also encourage Lumad students who are good in math to join the Philippine Military Academy (PMA). He also offered them opportunity to study in prestigious schools like the De La Salle University, Ateneo De Manila University, or the San Beda College at the expense of the government.