LEAGUE OF FILIPINO STUDENTS
University of the Philippines Visayas
Miagao, Iloilo
INCIDENT REPORT
Last August 22, 2009, the Reserved Officers Training Corps with first year students held a camp visit at Camp Peralta, Jamindan Capiz. In the light of an orientation with the first year students, an official of the Philippine Army in the name of Maj. Delos Reyes asked the first year students whether they know anything about LFS and then maliciously asked them whether they could readily identity members of the organization. Then the orientation turned to be a sermon on the camp. The said official started saying that “pumasok kayo ng UP para mag-aral hindi para pumasok sa LFS at umakyat sa bundok para maging ‘red figthers’” (you entered UP for study, not to join LFS and depart to the mountains and be ‘red fighters’) to the students. The official also encouraged the students not to join LFS because it is an “anti-government” organization. Further, the official warned the students that the legal activities of the League of Filipino Students are all backed–up by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA). The said official also asked the student “tutulungan ninyo ba kaming gipitin ang kalayaan ng LFS dyan sa loob ng UP?” (will you help us limit the freedom of LFS in UP?). In addition, one of the officers in the ROTC was observed to be affirming what Maj. Delos Reyes stated.
We have verified the accuracy and truthfulness of the events from the NSTP-ROTC first year students.
As a legitimate and recognized student organization, not only in the university, but throughout the country, we are clearly maligned and deprecated by what was supposed to be a simple academic activity for the students of the ROTC. We assert that our organization should not be threatened and defamed by any entity within or outside the university.
In line with this,
(1) we demand clarification and repudiation of the statements that were channeled through the NSTP-ROTC;
(2) we want a direct dialogue with the first year NSTP-ROTC students to defend the credibility and autonomy of our organization;
(3) we ask support from the administration for the confidentiality of the first year NSTP-ROTC students who gave their testimonies regarding the incident.
We are hoping for an immediate positive response from your office regarding this matter.
In the continued service to the Filipino people,
League of Filipino Students
Cc:
-OSR
-USC
-OSA
-OVCAA
-Offiice of the Chancellor
