LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – Hundreds of students at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) walked out of their classes Tuesday afternoon here as part of the UP system-wide walkout to protest campus militarization.
The students started the walkout at around 4 p.m. in front of the Humanities building and proceeded to several other buildings to encourage other students to join them. The contingent then proceeded to the Carabao Park, near the UPLB gate and held a short program.
“We are opposing the recent attacks of the government on the youth. Like in the Senate hearing, progressive students are being attacked, and Senator Ronald ‘Bato’ Dela Rosa is pushing for the military and police to enter universities,” said Jade Ashley Corpuz, spokesperson for Anakbayan-Southern Tagalog.
“For us, the youth, we don’t want that to happen because, in history, nothing good happened when the military and police intrude. They are the primary instrument of the government to silence critics,” Corpuz added.
Several faculty members also joined the walkout, raising placards condemning campus militarization and harassment of teachers.
Some of the placards seen in the protest read: “No to Martial Law in schools,” and “Defend academic freedom.”
Last August 8, policemen who introduced themselves as members of the Bay Municipal Police Station attempted to enter the UP Rural High School in the adjacent town of Bay in this province “without any clear objective” as to why they visited, according to a statement from the All UP Academic Employees Union-UPLB.