“Why not?”
This was how Malacañang came to the defense of President Rodrigo Duterte after the reported offer of the University of the Philippines (UP) for a Doctor of Laws degree, honoris causa, to the chief executive caused an uproar particularly from the state university’s students and alumni.
But Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella on Wednesday said Duterte was not after the honorary doctor of laws degree.
“It’s not something that he runs after,” Abella told reporters in a Palace briefing.
On Tuesday, Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said the UP Board of Regents (BOR), the university’s highest policy making body, has offered Duterte the honorary doctor of laws degree as part of tradition.
READ: UP offers honorary doctorate degree to Duterte
Duterte earned his law degree from San Beda College.
Abella said Malacañang has yet to receive official communication regarding the matter.
“As far as we know there is no official statement, official communication,” he said.
But if indeed offered, the Palace official said Duterte would be inclined to accept it.
“If it’s offered, I suppose he would,” Abella said when asked if the President would accept the offer. “But it doesn’t really matter if it’s offered or not.”
Duterte, he said, was not “angling” for the honorary degree.
“Although he does not run after awards, it would be a sign of goodwill towards the highest—well, one of the most premiere—one of the three premiere institutions—it would be quite an honor to receive that. But it’s not something he is angling for. Of course, a sign of mutual respect would be in place here,” he said.
The reported offer has drawn flak from UP students, faculty and alumni.
READ: UP community blasts honorary degree for Duterte
Many expressed their disappointment over UP’s decision, saying Duterte must instead be held accountable for the thousands of deaths under his administration’s bloody crackdown on drugs. IDL