"fake president"

[explorer]

from http://news.inq7.net/express/html_ou...73324.xml.html



Students heckle Arroyo in Cavite graduation

April 22, 2006
Updated 01:11am (Mla time)
Gil C. Cabacungan Jr. Marlon Ramos
Inquirer

INDANG, Cavite—President Macapagal-Arroyo was heckled here yesterday by a Mass Communication graduate of the Cavite State University, turning the afternoon commencement exercise into a nightmare of protests against her.

Just a few minutes into the President's speech, the student, Maria Theresa Pangilinan, shouted "Patalsikin si (Oust) Gloria" while holding up a red banner with the words "No to Chacha." A member of the Presidential Security Group and two security guards of the university immediately went to where Pangilinan was sitting and confiscated the banner.

The President was visibly stunned but kept her poise and resumed her speech.

A few minutes later, a group of protesters from the left-leaning Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and the Solidarity of Cavite Workers (SCW) also raised red streamers calling on Ms Arroyo to step down.

The protesters were positioned at the row of chairs meant for the parents and relatives of the graduating students.

As the group was escorted out of the school grounds by policemen and PSG members, they continued chanting "Pahirap sa masa, patalsikin si Gloria (A burden to the masses, oust Gloria)."

"May karapatan kaming magpahayag ng aming hinaing. Huwag ninyo kaming saktan(We have a right to express our views. Do not hurt us)," said Marlyn Gutierrez, SCW president.

"Huwag kayong mambastos (Do not be crude)," Supt. Roberto Soriano, the operations chief of the Cavite police, retorted.

The group was later brought to the police station.

Frisked on way to stage

The commotion halted the President's speech midway for about a minute.

She gave the hecklers a blank stare, clasped her hands but remained calm. She resumed her speech but this time, her voice had a higher pitch, which betrayed her irritation.

Ms Arroyo was then addressing the graduating class about the importance of mastering the English language in landing better-paying jobs inside the economic zones in Cavite.

She wrapped up her speech without any more incident and stayed on to hand out diplomas to half of the 1,159 graduates, who were frisked by police and PSG on their way to the stage.

"This is really a forgettable event," said one of the graduates.

Tough graduate

Pangilinan was allowed to march to the stage, but at least four police and PSG personnel tried to prevent her from getting her diploma to avoid further incident.

When it was her turn, Pangilinan shook hands with the President but both purposely looked away from each other. On her way down, Pangilinan was heckled by some of the graduates who did not like her actions which they claimed ruined their graduation.

A school official said that there was nothing to prevent Pangilinan from marching on stage because she had completed all the requirements and what she did was only a misdemeanor.

The Inquirer later learned that Pangilinan was the president of the Central Student Government of the university. Students interviewed by the Inquirer said she was also a staff writer of Gazette, the official publication of CvSU.

Another streamer

Halfway through the conferring of diplomas, another student, identified as Apolinario Dayang-dayang, an agriculture engineering graduate, was also arrested as he was about to raise a streamer at around 6 p.m.

At this juncture, the President left the grandstand and boarded the presidential car.

Cavite Gov. Ireneo Maliksi, who had a front row view of the entire incident, said he was embarrassed that the President was heckled.

"She was our guest of honor, we should have treated her properly. I really feel bad for the student for doing that in the graduation ceremony," said Maliksi, who has ordered an immediate investigation of the incident.

At the same time, he complemented Ms Arroyo for remaining unfazed throughout the incident and staying longer than expected (the President was supposed to hand out only a dozen diplomas).

"She showed that she was a true statesman," Maliksi said.

Security breached

PSG and police personnel had reportedly confiscated several red banners during security search hours before the President's arrival.

PSG head Brig. Gen. Delfin Bangit refused to comment when asked how the protesters-who pretended to be parents of some of the graduates-breached the security line. The huge open field was cordoned off with only students and their parents and relatives allowed within the main venue.

PNP Gen. Prospero Noble said the security for the event was the sole responsibility of the school and that the police was only there to help keep the peace. "The student's actions reflected badly on her school not us," said Noble.

Tit for tat

Senior Supt. Benjardi Mantele, Cavite police director, said the protesters were taken to the Indang police station.

Asked if the arrested persons would be charged, he replied: "We'll see. They are still under investigation."

The incident elicited several reactions from the crowd. "While I agree with what they (the students) were saying, they should have chosen another place and another event. The graduation rites should be solemn," one parent said.

Another said: "Tama lang yun. Binastos din naman ni GMA ang boto ng mga Pilipino (What they did was right. GMA also did not respect the vote of the Filipino)."

[chua_riwap]

[QUOTE=explorer]from http://news.inq7.net/express/html_ou...73324.xml.html





Hired na siya ng Tribune or Malaya......

[BoEinG_747]

^^^ pasok na pasok ...hahaha

[mfo]

She's Brave

[konde]

yan ang nag-aral na walang pinag-aralan!

[van_wilder]

yan ang nag-aral na walang pinag-aralan!

exactly! where is diplomacy on that?

[van_wilder]

She's Brave

no she is not... she is stupid and uneducated...

[etneroll]

If she has already set her judgement against the President, then she can't be a good journalist, sayang na katapangan....wala sa lugar.

[empy]

respect her commitment to take a stand, respect her right to voice her concerns

but i wonder if she stopped to consider the feelings of her friends, classmates and their families...by injecting controversy and perhaps ruining what is one of the most special moments of their lives.

[Mguy]

We are not Americans. We are Filipinos.

There should be a right time and place for protest. This was not one of them. What she did was totally disrespectful not only for the president but for the whole school and studentry. She should be ashamed for what she has done because we became no better than Americans who utterly has no respect for anything at all.

But I could only just imagine herself looking at herself in the mirror and feeling proud for what she did.