THE REMOVAL of reading materials donated by communist groups from the Aklan State University library was voluntary, a student leader said.

ASU Student Regent Apple Jeanne Villanueva said the school was not compelled to pull out the books.

“I would like to reiterate that the management decided on its own to turnover those subversive materials. The turnover activity was clearly voluntary,” Villanueva said during a program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

Last month, ASU, Kalinga State University and Isabela State University removed books donated by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines or authored by its founding chairman, Jose Maria Sison.

“With regards to the house resolution of the Makabayan Bloc, hindi ko po ma gets ang logic kung bakit po sila nagrereklamo sa turnover activity when in the first place wala naman po talagang violation na nangyari. Wala pong interference na nangyari within the Aklan Provincial Police Office and the NTF-ELCAC,” she said.

The student leader also disputed claims that the removal of the books restricted their academic freedom.

“ASU students are focused on their studies and do not engage in communist activities,” Villanueva said.