Palace clarifies Duterte’s stand on UP students walking out of classes to rally

Malacañang clarified yesterday that President Duterte’s remark of replacing University of the Philippines (UP) students involved in political protests with bright Lumad youth was said in the context that their walking out of their classes is a waste of taxpayers’ money which is invested in their education.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, in a press briefing in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, said that Duterte’s remark does not mean that the administration is suppressing the Filipinos’ right to free speech.

“Malinaw po ang sabi ni Presidente, ang tinututulan niya iyong walkout sa klase. Hindi po niya sinusupil ang karapatan ng malayang pananalita at saka ng karapatan ng peaceful assembly (The President was clear, he was only against the walkout during classes. He is not suppressing the right to free speech and peaceful assembly),” Roque said Saturday.

Last Friday, Duterte threatened to give the slots of a group of UP-Diliman students to bright and deserving Lumads after they walked out of their classes for a protest to “overthrow the US-Duterte regime.”

“Puwede pong gawin iyan ng mga estudyante, ang tinututulan niya iyong walkout (The students are free to do that [express themselves through protest]. What the President is against is the walkout during classes),” he added.

Roque noted that the President only does not want to see taxpayers’ money wasted by students who do not attend their classes since this is the first time that the government is paying for the tuition in all State and Local universities and colleges (SUCs and LUCs), not just in UP.

For his part, Sen. Richard J. Gordon said the President’s admonition of the UP students was just a “payo” or advice.

Since they are studying in a State-owned State University or College (SUC), UP students should instead focus their attention on their studies, Gordon said in interpreting the President’s outburst.

If UP students keep on demonstrating, what about the poor but bright students from the Indigenous Peoples (IP) sector who could not enter UP or other SUCs but are determined to attend their classes, Gordon said. (With a report from Mario B. Casayuran)