(From Tribune)Student-activists yesterday pulled a fast one on President Arroyo, welcoming her by heckling her while calling strongly for her ouster during her visit to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) in Manila to inaugurate the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal.
Reports said the incident took place around 2 p.m. at the PGH compound when a group of activists from the Student Council of the University of the Philippines joined the crowd in greeting Mrs. Arroyo, who was about to leave the hospital, and then began shouting: “Patalsikin si Gloria (Oust Gloria).”
They also slammed the President for cutting the budget of UP and PGH.
Apparently caught by surprise, Mrs. Arroyo hurriedly walked to her presidential car, while members of the Presidential Security Group, also stunned, immediately covered the Chief Executive on her way out of the hospital premises.
Commotion broke out as members of the Manila Police District carrying truncheons and shields proceeded to the crowd and violently dispersed the students, hitting them with truncheons and shields.
Five of the hecklers were arrested and taken to the nearby police headquarters after the incident.
They were charged with inciting to sedition charges.
One of the arrested student-activists, UP medicine student council chairman Perry Ridon, charged that the violent dispersal and arrests made were illegal as it was a clear violation of a UP memorandum that Philippine National Police is not allowed to arrest any protesters while inside the UP premises.
He noted that the illegal arrest and inciting to sedition filed against them smacked of the “illegitimate administration” of obvious human rights violations.
“We cannot take anymore Mrs. Arroyo’s assault on the education sector. Now that we tried to air our grievances peacefully they take us away,” Ridon said.
He added the “illegitimate President” has been patently blind to the sad plight of the education of the youth and the sufferings of the people and that she has no right being the guest of honor in the turnover ceremony.
“Mrs. Arroyo has time and again denied the youth and the people a chance at fighting poverty through heavily subsidized education and sound health services. She does not deserve any welcome at all in our university. It is she who should be the patient in the National Eye Center, for being stricken with social cataract, blinding her from the social reality that her administration is not providing enough for its people,” he stressed.
Last April, while speaking at graduation rites of the Cavite State University, Mrs. Arroyo was also heckled with ouster calls by activists, including mass communication student Ma. Teresa Pangilinan, a member of the graduating class.
1 comment:
hahahaha. i find this really funny coz one of those who were almost arrested was my classmate!
sayang. nasampolan sana ng police brutality. hahaha. :p
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