THOMASIAN ACTIVISTS staged a protest against a Philippine Air Force (PAF) exhibit at UST on Tuesday, April 21, an action that escalated into a testy exchange with government officials.
The students, led by Philosophy freshman Raven Racelis, criticized the PAF over the alleged aerial bombings that resulted in civilian casualties in rural areas.
In a Facebook video uploaded by Racelis on the same day, she was heard saying, “we came here to tell you that your institutions, you are all not welcome in academic spaces (because) you are the number one human rights violator.”
“The equipment you are using is the same equipment used in [an] aerial bombing in Mindoro,” she added.
The event was held in commemoration of the University’s 415th anniversary and the PAF’s 79th anniversary. The exhibit featured a flight simulator, miniatures of aircraft, gun models and audiovisual presentations on the PAF’s modernization programs.
In a media interview, a PAF official said she does not know why the activists were agitated during the exhibit.
“We’ve seen the post. Honestly, for us, we engaged them properly, we talked to them calmly…Honestly, I don’t know why they were pointing at us. Of course, we are a professional organization, we tried to respectfully talk to them,” PAF spokesperson Col. Maria Christina Basco said in an interview with DZMM Teleradyo after the event.
“We welcome them even though our ideas are different, right? So I don’t know why they were so agitated. They were asking questions that were not related to the exhibit,” Basco added.
While arguing with government officials, Racelis showed newspapers reporting on the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ aerial bombing in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro on January 1 this year, which reportedly killed civilians, including at least three indigenous youth.
She also cited the death of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila student Jerlyn Rose Doydora, who was found dead following the military operations.
Racelis claimed to have been escorted out of the event in the caption of the posted video.
“When we dared to ask these questions, we were the ones escorted out. Since when did seeking truth become disruption? Since when did speaking about civilian experiences become a threat?” her post read.
Basco, other PAF officers and UST Campus Security director Assoc. Prof. Juliano Parena, Jr. were seen walking with the students toward the exit of the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. building.
Activist groups in UST, including the Anakbayan Artlets chapter, have also criticized the event and called on the University to cut ties with the military and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
“The University is a place of learning and an environment where freedom of thought should be expressed. Hence, a question arises: Why does the University of Santo Tomas allow violent entities like the PAF, which threatens students’ academic freedom, on its campus?” Anakbayan’s post read. F
