MANILA, Philippines — Strict sanctions should be meted out on Polytechnic University of the Philippines teachers who cancel classes so students can attend rallies, Sen. Bato dela Rosa said Wednesday.
In a Senate hearing on minors who allegedly went missing after being recruited by leftist groups, Dela Rosa questioned the policies of the university after "Alem", a former PUP student and a former rebel, claimed that some PUP professors canceled classes for students to join rallies.
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The neophyte senator is heading the committee on public order and dangerous drugs in charge of the inquiry into the supposedly missing minors.
PUP president Emanuel de Guzman said the university is already monitoring such teachers and have given them warnings.
"Sa totoo po ay meron na kaming mga binigyan ng sanction na mga guro at nagpalabas na rin kami ng memorandum noon pa na bawal magpalahok ng mga estudyante sa mga rally lalo na kung ito ay may kapalit na grade," De Guzman told the Senate panel.
(In fact, we have given out sanctions to teachers and we have released a memorandom not to require students to join rallies especially if it is in exchange of a grade.)
De Guzman stressed that PUP does not condone such behavior from their teachers.
He added that some teachers already have pending cases and have promised not to cancel their classes for rallies.
"Nagtatago sila sa likod ng mga batas din na ang ginagawa nila ay hindi naman ilegal so kami po ay naghahanap naman ng mga batayang legal," De Guzman said.
(They are hiding behind the law since what they are doing is not illegal so we are also looking for legal basis.)
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Last week, the PUP president apologized to the families of missing senior high school students allegedly recruited by leftist groups.
Two of the students, Alicia Lucena and Lory Caalaman, have said in press conferences on Tuesday and early Wednesday that they are not missing and were not kidnapped.
"Hindi ako nawawala o kinidnap. Sumama ako sa Anakbayan dahil nakita ko ang pangangailangan para sa pagkilos ng kabataan," Lucena said at a press conference of the Makabayan bloc on Wednesday.
(I am not missing and I was not kidnapped. I went with Anakbayan because I saw the need for the youth to take action)
De Guzman told the Senate panel that PUP is taking measures to prevent such cases from happening again. — Patricia Lourdes Viray