Protesters vandalize UP-Manila’s walls

MANILA, Philippines—A group of young demonstrators sympathizing with the family of Kristel Tejada vandalized the walls of the University of the Philippines-Manila Tuesday.

Tejada took her own life on March 15 after being forced to take a leave of absence from her studies due to her failure to pay tuition at the university, triggering public outcry against the school officials.

MPD’s District Tactical Operations Center said the group arrived in front of the university around 9:30 a.m. to stage a protest against the university’s tuition policies that allegedly denied Tejada to pursue her studies in UP and prompted her to commit suicide.

Police said the group of 20 young protesters painted the walls with angry words.

Emilio Aguinaldo College-Police Community Precinct said among the protesters who trooped to the university were members of Sanlakas.

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes called on to the public to join his group in a protest action on Wednesday against a “rotten and oppressive system that has condemned even the very future of our youth.”

In a statement, Reyes called Kristel’s death an “indictment” of the current system that “excludes and oppresses” the majority of the people.

“The Aquino regime failed Kristel as it had failed the Filipino people,” he said, adding that the government has made people to fend for themselves.

Reyes also cited the government’s action towards the Sabah issue.

“The message is all too familiar. For this government, we the people are on our own. And no soundbyte from the President or his talking-heads can hide this,” he said.

“But on March 20, we do have a message of our own for this regime. We refuse to accept the status quo and we protest this government’s abandonment of the people,” Reyes added.

He said the mass action, tagged as the “People’s Protest,” will be held in various areas in Metro Manila.