Cebu students rally against Duterte

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CEBU CITY — Students from major universities in Cebu City took to the streets on Monday, seeking the conviction of former president Rodrigo Duterte and the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte while calling for accountability from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Over 300 students of the University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu Normal University and University of the Philippines Cebu marched to Fuente Osmeña Circle and chanted slogans against government repression, rising tuition fees and budget cuts in state universities.

Jose Paolo Echavez, Kabataan Party-list's second nominee, led calls for Duterte's immediate arrest over his administration's bloody drug war.

He pointed out that there were over 150 youth deaths, including 17-year-old Kian delos Santos, who was killed in a police operation in 2017.

He said Duterte should be imprisoned for his crimes against the youth, particularly in his drug war, where many young victims never received due process.

Echavez also denounced Duterte's red-tagging and the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Law, which he said had suppressed student activism and placed many young organizers at risk.

Protesters also demanded accountability from Marcos for continuing the policies of Duterte's war on drugs and for failing to address corruption allegations in his administration.

Echavez criticized the government's role in fostering a culture of violence and polarization, saying that extrajudicial killings persist under the current administration.

Students also pushed for the impeachment of the vice president, citing her alleged misuse of government funds during her tenure as education secretary.

Beyond national issues, student leaders condemned repression in their universities, accusing administrators of restricting student representation and silencing critical voices.

Hans Noel Balila, president of the USC Supreme Student Council, criticized the university's decision-making process, saying that student representatives were excluded from policymaking bodies.

He called for genuine student participation in school governance.

Balila said students have long demanded the recognition of the USC Supreme Student Council as the legitimate representative of the student body.

He also cited the need for student press organization Today's Carolinian to be acknowledged as the official student publication of the University of San Carlos.

"And yet, in spite of our years long of having dialogues with the administration, having petitions, having statements, and the like, to the administration, our conditions inside the university have only worsened," he said.

"This walkout is basically our show of force to the administration that we do not take these matters lightly, and we want our demands addressed as soon as now," he added.

Despite the risks of red-tagging and harassment, students vowed to continue their fight for academic freedom and government accountability.

Echavez said that students have a constitutional right to express their views, whether critical or not, and should not be silenced.