By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
Malacañang has said that President Duterte is not suppressing the Filipinos’ right to free speech when he threatened to kick out students of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City who walked out of their classes to protest the policies of his administration last week.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press briefing in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, said that Duterte is only against students walking out of their classes.
“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,” Roque said. “Puwede pong gawin iyan ng mga estudyante, ang tinututulan niya iyong walkout,” he added.
Roque also said the President does not want to see taxpayers’ money wasted by students who do not attend their classes as the government is implementing free tuition in the University of the Philippines and other state and local universities and colleges.
“Ang sinasabi lang ng Presidente, huwag naman natin sayangin iyong mga pera ng sambayanan na ginugol natin para sa free tuition ng lahat ng state universities and colleges,” Roque said.
Duterte has said that he will give the slots of the UP Diliman students who walked out to bright and deserving Lumads or Indigenous People.
