THE DEFENSE chief’s call for UST to discipline a student protester who confronted military officials during an Air Force exhibit has drawn flak from Thomasian student leaders who viewed the remark as an attempt to suppress dissent and political expression.
The Artlets Student Council (ABSC) and Anakbayan slammed the statements of Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr., saying students should not be sanctioned for expressing dissent and raising sociopolitical concerns inside academic spaces.
The ABSC consists of the officials of the faculty’s student government. Anakbayan is a group of activists not recognized by the University.
According to newly-elected ABSC president Jennille Elisha Butacan, Teodoro’s remarks reduce students to “lesser citizens, undeserving of the same rights as those who share his political beliefs.”
“‘Estudyante ka lang (You’re just a student)’ is a short-sided response, disregarding the significant role of the youth in having a meaningful voice within society. It neglects the state policies written in our constitution, the very essence of the role he is meant to uphold,” Butacan told The Flame.
In a statement released on April 27, the ABSC said student dissent and criticism should not be treated as acts of disrespect, arguing that inquiry and protest form part of an “engaged and thinking academic community.”
“Student inquiry, critique, and even dissent are not acts of disrespect; rather, they are essential components of an engaged and thinking academic community,” the council’s statement read.
The remarks came after Teodoro urged the University to discipline Philosophy student Raven Racelis, who led a protest against a military exhibit last April 21 at the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. building. The event was part of the activities commemorating UST’s 415th anniversary and the Air Force’s 79th anniversary.
READ: Defense chief urges UST to discipline student who confronted officials during exhibit
During the exchange, Racelis questioned the military over its alleged human rights violations and cited reports of aerial bombings in rural communities that reportedly resulted in civilian deaths.
Anakbayan also criticized Teodoro’s statements, saying it disregards the ability of students to challenge state narratives.
“To reduce them to ‘just students’ is both insulting and revealing of how this government views the youth, not as citizens with rights, but as subjects to be disciplined,” Mikela Maravillas, the chairperson of Anakbayan’s chapter at the Faculty of Arts and Letters and a Communications sophomore, said in a Facebook post.
Maravillas claimed that the issues raised by Racelis during the exchange with the military personnel were “not abstract accusations.”
“These are real lives, names, families, communities, cut short by state violence. The youth have every right to bring these truths directly to those responsible,” Maravillas said.
The AB student council also questioned the approval of the military-led activity, citing concerns over “transparency, consistency, and accountability” in institutional decision-making.
“We also recognize the importance of dialogue and the exchange of perspectives within the academic sphere. However, this recognition does not preclude the right, nor the responsibility, of students to question the presence of military institutions within academic spaces,” it said. F
