Kiko Pangilinan’s call: “Don’t mess with UP” — communists are EXEMPTED from this of course

Do the communists speak for the majority of members of the University of the Philippines (UP) student body? Do they represent the voice of the average Filipino student who only wants to pursue her studies in peace and in safety? This is the question Filipinos need to ask seeing that rhetoric that aims to create the next outrage fad surrounding the recent termination of an agreement between the UP and the Department of National Defense (DND) banning military personnel access to UP campuses is being amplified and spread by the country’s biggest corporate media channels.

It is important to note that only one side of this story — that of “activist” groups under the ideological guidance of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) — is being given priority space by mainstream media. As soon as the word was out, no less than the ABS-CBN News Channel gave top airtime to the statement of “vice president” Leni Robredo on the matter. According to Robredo, the termination of the agreement was “designed to sow fear”, “discourage dissent”, and “silence criticism”. Very original, right? As such, we give a hats off to Senator Sharon Cuneta himself, a.k.a. Kiko Pangilinan, who is a bit more creative in his rhetoric issuing a threat on Twitter to all not to “mess with UP”.

All these ululations raise only one important question:

Or else what exactly?

While Senator Cuneta stops short of going into specifics, Robredo, in her statement, calls on Filipinos to “do what needs to be done” and suggests that, “at long last”, an opportunity has arisen to “stand our grounds and speak out”. This is evidently problematic as Robredo being “vice president” and, therefore, a top officer of the Executive Branch of the Philippine Government and a potential Commander in Chief of the armed forces is seemingly inciting Filipinos to defy their own military. Perhaps it is not unreasonable to press the “vice president” further on what exactly she means by “what needs to be done”.

What exactly needs to be done, madame Leni Robredo?

Indeed, if Robredo is to be seen to be the “leader” of the “Opposition”, then she should make herself crystal clear as to what she proposes happens next. Will it be another “people power” march? Considering that the people most impacted by this development are the communists, will she categorically declare an alliance with these terrorists?

Enlighten us plez Madam “vice president”.

Filipinos — specially students of the UP and their parents — need to give Mr. Sharon Cuneta, the “vice president”, and these communist “activists” a reality check. How many stakeholders in the UP echo the dishonest sentiment of the communists and their lackeys in Big Corporate Media? The real outrage here is in how Filipino communists and their network of front “activist” groups presume to speak for the average Filipino university student. The even bigger crime is in the crooked way mainstream media outlets amplify these dishonest messages with seeming intent to keep those who beg to differ to these messages silent or, at least, drown out their sparse voices. It’s time Filipinos put their foot down and give traditional “activists” and traditional media a reality check. More importantly, they should vote wisely in the coming national elections to ensure that this check on the dangerous incitements being issued by crooked politicians and obsolete “activists” is made absolutely real.

benign0

benign0 is the Webmaster of GetRealPhilippines.com.