COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) Chair Chito Gascon has urged student leaders to fight for truth, freedom, justice and democracy amid the challenges brought about by the 鈥渃hanges鈥� under the Duterte administration.
Among the 鈥渃hanges,鈥� Gascon cited the surge in the number of extrajudicial killings, mostly of suspected drug offenders.
The Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) condemned the summary executions after the killing of an honor student in Pangasinan, 22-year-old Rowena Tiamson.
Speaking at a forum at San Sebastian College in Manila, Gascon told the student leaders: 鈥淥ur generation fought long and hard for the freedoms that you now enjoy. Do not let this freedom be undermined.鈥�
He added, 鈥淒o not surrender your rights and freedom for a promise of safety and security that you might soon regret, you won鈥檛 even get鈥攁nd yet you鈥檝e lost your freedom.鈥�
鈥淲e know in our hearts, our guts, in our spirits what justice is about,鈥� he said.
鈥淭his generation of young leaders will have to grapple with so many current issues. And this current moment demands a response from you,鈥� the CHR chair said.
He said the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) website was temporarily forced to shut down by a deluge of negative remarks and comments from 鈥渢he fans of the President鈥� and was hacked after it came out with an analytical and very critical report on President Duterte鈥檚 anticrime efforts.
鈥淭hey (Duterte鈥檚 followers) attacked the PCIJ website so it was closed down. Thankfully it was put up again,鈥� Gascon said, adding that he too received 鈥渞egular threats鈥� from the President鈥檚 fans who are very active in social media.
Meanwhile, SCAP has denounced the extrajudicial killings of students and other youth, or what it called 鈥渃ardboard justice.鈥�
Cardboard tags are placed on some victims, saying they were 鈥減ushers鈥� and should not be emulated.
Nancy Fernandez of SCAP said in a statement, 鈥淲e again implore President Duterte
鈥攌eep us alive. Don鈥檛 kill off the youth in this war on drugs.鈥�