PMI students blame CHED for violent rally

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is to blame for the violence that erupted during a rally staged by students and administrators of the Philippine Maritime Institute (PMI) Colleges last Tuesday, student council officials said Friday.

Jovan Hebaya and Randy Padilla said the rally only turned violent when CHED security guards, assisted by Quezon City police officers, used truncheons, tear gas, fire extinguishers and a welding torch on the PMI students.

The students said they had a meeting with a CHED lawyer to talk about the commission’s order to shut down its maritime transportation and maritime engineering courses for not complying with CHED standards and regulations.

The commission denounced the rallyists, who broke windows and disrupted CHED operations.

CHED chairwoman Patricia Licuanan said its closure order is appropriate because the courts have upheld it and the decision to close the programs followed threats by the European Maritime Safety Agency of the European Union to classify the Philippines as non-compliant with the International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping.

CHED said affected students have been absorbed by 12 other maritime schools in Metro Manila.