SEVERAL youth groups in Cebu asked the Commission on Human Rights to investigate what they called the series of harassments against critics of the government.

The groups, led by the National Union of Students of the Philippines-Cebu, claimed that “Duterte’s persistent war against critics is proof of his desperation and fear of losing power.”

They said that the continued crackdown on various groups aims “to curtail civil liberties and freedoms.”

The groups cited the harassment and attempted arrest of NUSP High School Vice Chairperson for Visayas John Kyle Enero in November 2020 and the red-tagging of NUSP Vice President for Visayas Angel Mendiola in July 2019 together with members of Kabataan Partylist-Sitio Aroma chapter for trying to stop a demolition project in the sitio.

They also recalled the red-tagging of former NUSP Associate Vice President for Visayas Joahanna Veloso, former NUSP Vice President for Visayas Dyan Gumanao, and Bernie Cañedo, Jr. of the UP Cebu University Student Council.

The three were part of the  six protesters and two bystanders arrested during a protest against the Anti-Terror bill on June 5, 2020 at the University of the Philippines Cebu.

NUSP-Cebu coordinator Dee Supelanas said that instead of attacking and scaring organizations, “the Duterte regime should best exert its efforts in addressing the worsening unemployment, forced hunger, poverty and landlessness.”

Anakbayan-Cebu spokesperson Cyan Rom stressed that the youth have been under attack “since their militancy drives them towards criticizing a regime that has done nothing for the people.”

The group said that the attacks on the youth is “not proof of the state’s claims that activism is dangerous but it proves that this system we live in right now is bloody and tyrannical.”