August 8, 2010
Press Release

“A desperate move to silence the youth”

This was how Kyle Tumbiga, Provincial Chairperson of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) Cebu described the recent proposal to restore mandatory training under the Reserve Officers’ Training Course (ROTC) for college students. Tumbiga, joined with other youth leaders in the country in slamming House Bill 737 filed by Rep. Eduardo Gullas of the 1st District of Cebu which aims to bring back ROTC as an academic requirement seeing it as yet another attempt to harass student activists and repress student rights.

“Gullas’ move to revive the mandatory ROTC is another slap in the face to the rights of students, especially here in Cebu where he owns a big university. It is also an attempt to infiltrate schools and harass student leaders and activists.”

He stated that the military is using this program to infiltrate schools and red-tag progressive youth organizations like LFS and tag its leaders as recruiters of the New People’s Army. He labeled the military’s move as another ‘cowardly act’ because they are targeting legal mass leaders and activists instead of facing their real enemy in the country sides.

He also dismissed the supposed merits of the ROTC revival such as instilling discipline and love of country to students. “The military has no right to teach students discipline when in fact they are the number 1 human rights violators in the country,” Tumbiga said. “These blood-thirsty soldiers must not be allowed to enter any school premises across the country,” He added.

Tumbiga warned of massive protests by youth and students against the proposal. Huge demonstrations against the rampant corruption, physical and mental abuse, hazing and harassment of student leaders and activists had prompted the abolition of ROTC 8 years ago. This was after the 2001 murder of Mark Chua, a student who blew the whistle on irregularities in the ROTC department of the University of Santo Tomas.