Groups allege harassment, told to study APEC discussions

CEBU, Philippines - Two militant groups have alleged some of their student members who have taken part in protest actions against the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Summit meetings in Cebu have experienced harassment.

Anakbayan and Bayan Central Visayas alleged some people went to the house of one of their student members twice. The first group reportedly posed as representatives of a marketing group the student was referred to for employment. They then asked for the student’s background, vices, and if the student is an activist.

About 20 minutes later, a man reportedly entered the student’s house and told his parents they graduated together and are planning to apply as call center agents. This did not sit well with the student’s parents knowing that their child is still in school.

Another student member, a female student leader and member of school publication, was reportedly “interviewed” by an alumnus of her school. After the talk, the alumnus reportedly inserted a P20 bill into the girl’s pocket while telling her, “pag-amping ha”. It turned out, the person the student talked to did not graduate from her school.

Still, another student member from another university has shared how random people told him, “para maka-graduate ka sunda mi… kahibaw naman ka unsay mga mahitabo sa mga aktibista”.

The groups alleged further that the police have approached school administrations to discourage them from letting their students join rallies and protests against APEC.

The groups are compiling fact sheets they can send to their representatives in Congress and for the possible filing of cases. They also intend to raise the concern to the Department of National Defense, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Justice, and the Office of the President.

Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said what is allegedly happening is a violation of the students’ rights to express their views, as well as against civil liberty.

The National Union of Students of the Philippines and Anakbayan Cebu have condemned the alleged harassment of progressive youth and students perpetrated by suspected elements of the state in a recent protest.

The protesters accused the anti-riot police of “harassing” one of their members. The police officers occupied half of the road fronting the hotel where students held the protest when students tried to move forward heading the hotel.

The students have protested the APEC agenda on education, trade and investment and its negative impacts on the Philippines.

STUDY FIRST

Meanwhile, APEC organizers say protesters should study the discussions in the summit before hitting the streets.

“I would like to suggest also, before people protest, they should study what we are discussing. When I read the reasons why they protest, I said they are protesting against something that they thought are happening which are not really happening. Some of the issues that they are raising, these are not our issues. We have gone beyond those issues. We have addressed those issues,” said Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Laura Del Rosario, chairperson of the APEC Third Senior Officials’ Meeting and Related Meetings.

Del Rosario clarified, though, that she is not against protests.

“I’m looking at the relevance of the protest. I’m not preventing them from protesting because this is a democratic country,” she said.

“You can protest for as long as you don’t invade our meetings. You do your protest outside our perimeter so we could conduct our business quietly,” she added.

Del Rosario, a teacher by profession, said the APEC meetings create opportunities for the community. She stressed that education is one of the tools that could contribute to a successful economy.

“If we stay where we are right now, we will not be able to compete,” she said.

Del Rosario said the government needs the support of its constituents in implementing the K to 12 program.

“Instead of pulling back, let’s push forward for all the government agencies to do what they should do so that we’ll have K to12,” she said. — Janica Gee Otom, USJR-R Intern and Jean Marvette A. Demecillo/JMO (FREEMAN)