Bato: I am pro-youth activism but line must be drawn

Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Tuesday brushed off concerns of militarization and police intervention in state universities, amid the "day of walkout and action" set by students to protest such move.

In an interview on Unang Balita, Dela Rosa clarified that he respects the right of the youth to express themselves, but emphasized that there is a line between activism and taking up arms against the government.

"Well, ako mismo, am pro-student activism. Kailangan natin 'yan, yung youth activism, kailangan nandiyan. Pero ang tanong ko sa kanila: where do you draw the line between youth activism at saka yung pag-aakyat sa bundok at magiging armado na at lumaban sa gobyerno," he said.

The walk-out movement stood behind a 1989 UP Department of National Defense Agreement, which bans the presence of police and military personnel inside state university campuses.

For Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, the accord was "very one-sided."

"Binabawalan nila 'yung police at military na pumasok sa campus in the guise of yung bawal militarization at 'yung academic freedom. How about yung kaliwa? Pinapabayaan ninyo, ini-encourage niyo pa ang mga batang sumali doon sa kaliwa," he said.

"So kung gusto niyo talagang academic freedom, bigyan ninyo ng liberty ang lahat ng estudyante na pumanig kung saan nila gustong pumanig," Dela Rosa added.

Dela Rosa also reiterated that members of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) should be allowed to enter state universities to curb the supposed brainwashing activities being conducted by left-leaning groups on campus.

"Kami, papasok kami ang pulis at military doon [para] makipaghalubilo sa mga estudyante, para bibigyan sila ng mga orientation about sa gobyerno, sa side ng gobyerno, kasi ang nangyayari ngayon, ang kaliwa lang ang libre doon sa loob," he said. —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News