Kabataan Hits Duterte, ‘Kami ang Pag-asa ng Bayan Hindi mo kami kayang Tanggalin sa aming paaralan

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 2) — Youth groups are unfazed by President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to replace protesting students with “smart” Lumads from Mindanao.

In a statement posted on Facebook on Friday, KABATAAN party-list Rep. Sarah Elago hit Duterte’s statement against student activists, and made clear that despite Duterte’s warning, more students will hold protests in the future.

“Duterte can only shake at the growing resistance to his attacks on the youth. Duterte’s knee-jerk reaction only proves that the youth has successfully registered their indignation against his anti-people policies and increasing fascist inclination,” Elago said in a strongly-worded statement.

She warned of bigger protests to come on the “National Day of Walkout” set by student activists on February 23.

Elago said this after Duterte on Thursday warned he would give the slots of student protesters to Lumads instead.

He singled out students from the University of the Philippines, which had participated in protests held on the day of his speech.

“Okay, fine. To those who don’t want to study, then drop out because I’ll bring the smart Lumads here,” said Duterte.

He said he would just enroll Filipinos who are not fortunate enough to have access to quality education in their place.

“They’ll get it for free there,” he said.

But in her statement, Elago slammed Duterte’s for supposedly showing the “true nature” of what she called his “free education scam.”

“Not all will benefit; instead of guaranteeing the right of every child to education, he dangles it around every time there is opposition to his fanatical dictatorship,” she said, referring to the free tuition law signed during Duterte’s term.

READ: Duterte signs free tuition bill into law

Elago pointed out despite the law, there are still “skyrocketing” school fees, which cause “growing discontent and rage among the youth.”

This statement was echoed by U.P. Diliman left-leaning political organization The Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP), which was one of the groups that had organized the February 1 walkout Duterte called out in his speech.

“If there is anyone who needs to give up his slot, it is none but Rodrigo Duterte himself,” STAND UP said on Facebook.

Both statements also called out how Duterte offered slots to Lumad students, when last year he threatened to bomb Lumad schools operating without permits.

READ: Duterte threatens to bomb Lumad schools

“Duterte has the gall to say that he will provide university slots to Lumads, yet only months prior he has unabashedly threatened to bomb Lumad schools in Mindanao, along with sending military troops to their communities, harassing them and causing them to evacuate from their ancestral lands,” STAND UP claimed.

“He and his allies can only expect bigger and bigger protests,” it added.