In a statement released on Monday, the University of the Philippines Manila’s (UP Manila) administration advised students to not answer a Philippine National Police (PNP) survey questionnaire on ‘extremism and insurgency’ that was given away on campus last week.
“Should you receive a copy of the survey, we strongly discourage you from participating in it,” the institution’s Vice-Chancellor Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan said in the statement.
According to Pimentel-Simbulan, the university did not approve for the study to be done on campus. The administration is currently looking into how the survey reached its students.
UP Manila’s official student publication The Manila Collegian first shared photos of the survey on social media on Friday. According to its caption, all “courses” or study programs were given copies to answer but no one was present to administer the survey. The Facebook post ended with the hashtag “#ResistCrackdown.”
https://www.facebook.com/themanilacollegian/posts/10156267154381457
According to a report on GMA News, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said the survey is being done by students of the PNP’s National Police College (NPC). The NPC is under the Department of the Interior and Local Government agency the Public Safety College.
UP is a public institution and is considered one of the country’s top universities. It is also known for its progressive politics. Student groups at UP became the strongest and most vocal opposition of the Marcos dictatorship.
Some students think that the PNP’s survey is just a way for the government to crack down on students that oppose the government.
In a comment, the UP Manila student council said that while they are still investigating the matter, they think the survey is concerning “especially in light of the rising cases of HRV’s in our country.” They also advised students to not answer it.
Many find that the survey, titled The Role of Social Media to Students of University of the Philippines Manila on Violent Extremism and Insurgency, was filled with leading questions that include:
“Official publications and websites of extremist and leftist groups are being uploaded on different social media sites/platforms.”
“Radicalization through social media is a result of an individual’s dissatisfaction with the current political, social and cultural conditions.”
“The students may view violent extremism and insurgency online campaigns as driving factors to persuade or reject the ideology.”
“Male online users are more receptive to online radicalization because of their curiosity to the activities of the extremists and insurgent groups.”
Students were asked to rate their agreement or disagreement with the statements.
In a Facebook post, the UP Manila chapter of the militant youth group Anakbayan spoke out against the survey and said in Filipino: “Clearly, this is another initiative of the reactionary institution to scare and get information from students of an institution where students’ opposition for the US-Duterte government is strengthening.”
https://www.facebook.com/themanilacollegian/posts/10156267154381457
Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened he would kick out UP students who continue to protest against the administration. “Earlier today, they walked out. Go ahead. If you don’t want to go to school, get out of there because I will bring indigenous students who are bright and put them there,” he said during a speech.
