ILOILO City – The West Visayas State University (WVSU) Student Council and several students of its College of Law oppose First Lady Lisa Araneta Marcos’ impending entry to the school as law professor.
“Marapatin nating protektahan at ‘di payagan ang pagbibigay ng plataporma sa mga Marcos upang palaparin ang kanilang disinformation campaign,” read a part of the student council’s statement.
University president Dr. Joselito Villaruz earlier confirmed that Mrs. Marcos, a lawyer, will teach Criminal Law 1 part-time.
WVSU is the first and so far the only state university in Region 6 to offer legal education.
The University Student Council urged the WVSU administration: “Sumama sa pagtindig laban sa pagbibigay ng oportunidad sa mga Marcos – at kay Ginang Lisa Araneta Marcos – na makapag turo sa kolehiyo.”
It student council’s Facebook page also posted the names of College of Law students who signed the petition against the hiring of the First Lady.
“Hindi kailanman magiging magandang ehemplo sa mga estudyante ang pagkakaroon ng isang Marcos,” the student council statement further read.
It also cited the 120-year-old WVSU’s rich history of struggle against the Marcos dictatorship.
Then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., according to the student council, failed to overcome the resistance of students and the broad masses in overthrowing his regime in 1986.
After 36 years, however, Marcos Sr.’s son and namesake – the now First Lady’s husband – was elected president.
“Tayo ngayon ay tinatawag ng panahon upang palakasin at palawakin ang ating hanay bilang mga iskolar ng bayan at tagapaglingkod ng sambayanan, marapatin nating protektahan at ‘di payagan ang pagbibigay ng plataporma sa mga Marcos upang palaparin ang kanilang disinformation campaign,” according to the WVSU Student Council.
Meanwhile, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NULP) – Panay Law Students, in a separate statement, also “vehemently denounces and condemns” the hiring of Marcos as faculty member of WVSU – College of Law.
The group stressed that accepting the application of Mrs. Marcos to teach at WVSU runs afoul to the tenets of the legal profession, citing the Marcoses’ “long record of graft and corrupt practices and human rights violations supported by judicial decisions, as well as blatant moves of historical revisionism, fake news peddling, and dis- and misinformation campaigns.”
They cited court decisions on several cases wherein the Marcoses were found guilty of violating laws.
WVSU should instead choose faculty members who embody the university’s core values of excellence, creativity and innovation, and service.
“As a state university that hinges on the motto ‘Where Excellence is a Tradition’ , it is only fitting that the institution should not give a platform to any Marcos namesake, most especially in the noble legal profession,” they added.
The group warned that potential students and faculty would be discouraged to pursue legal studies or career at WVSU.
“We slam any call to remain silent and keep mum about the issue at hand. We won’t take this sitting down. A fascist enabler has no place in our academic institutions! Never Again! Never Forget!” it added./PN
