UP Visayas condemns redtagging of vocal students

I L O I L O C i t y – T h e U n i v e r s i t y o f t h e Philippines Visayas ( UPV) condemned the red- tagging of its students who were passionately expressing on social media their personal sentiments about the recent elections.

I n a statement, UPV chancellor Dr. Clement Camposano said students have been unfairly branded as rebels for simply standing up to their convictions.

“T h e s e b a s e l e s s accusations against our students are an affront to their basic right to exercise freedom of expression and opinion,” said Camposano.

He cited, for instance, the irresponsible comments hurled against UPV students in various group chats. He said t his compromised the students’ security and instilled fear.

Camposano emphasized that UPV, as with all other Constituent Universities of the UP System, continues to uphold the right of every student, faculty and staff to freely express their opinions.

“I t wil l c on t i nue t o encourage the free exchange of i deas a nd promote critical- thinking among its constituents,” he added.

O n e U P V s t u d e n t confirmed to Panay News the red- tagging made by some social media users especially when students s t a g e d a n a t i o n w i d e coordinated “academic walkout” on Tuesday, May 10, organized by the UP Student Regent to protest the election victory of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

In Iloilo, the walkout was followed by a gathering of students in front of the Iloilo provincial capitol.

In an earlier statement, the UP Office of the Student Regent called on all students and councils, organizations, publications, and formations to walkout of their classes and protest

It noted that many have sought to bastardize the electoral process – from the rampant red- tagging of candidates and partylists, including that of the Kabataan party- list, to the Commission on Elections ridden with l ast- minute appointees of President Rodrigo Duterte, father of vice presidential candidate Sara Duterte./