THE UNIVERSITY will lead a multi-sectoral movement to lobby for the abolition of the scandal-ridden Reserve Officers Training Corps when the 12th Congress opens on July 23.
The campaign came after hundreds of Thomasians led a nationwide weekly boycott of ROTC classes beginning last June 24.
To prevent the regular walkouts, UST officials urged angry cadets to instead ask Congress to repeal the law that established the student military program.
In a statement, school officials called for the abolition of ROTC after the abduction and murder of UST cadet officer Mark Welson Chua, who had exposed the alleged massive anomalies in the school’s ROTC program.
The call was supported by the University Belt Consortium and the Commission on Higher Education. (See related article ‘Excising a cancer’ on this page for full statement.)
In an incident that surprised the nation, Thomasian cadets walked out of their ROTC classes last June 24. The boycott was instigated by several activist groups.
Last July 1, cadets from the University of the Philippines (Diliman), Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Far Eastern University, University of the East, and Centro Escolar University joined the mass walkout.
In UST, cadets staged another boycott despite strict security. This came after militant groups took over the grandstand and called on cadets to join the protest action. The militants burned an ROTC uniform as a sign of protest.
Vice Rector for Finance Fr. Roberto Pinto, O. P. urged cadets and other students to address the issue peacefully to the proper forum. “The issue is something constitutional (so) it should be addressed in the Congress and the Senate,” he said.
Despite efforts by the administration to appease cadets and activists, the increasingly popular movement to abolish the ROTC appears to have taken its inspiration from UST’s statement describing the program as “a cancer that must be excised.”
Romina Garcia of militant group Anakbayan, said the walkouts were in support of the UST administration.
“Ito na yung ginawa ng mga estudyante (bilang) pagsusog sa posisyon ng administration. Hindi na nila (puwedeng)sabihan na ang mga kaparian lamang ang nag-initiate ng for abolition (kasi) mismong mga kadete (ang huminging matanggal ang ROTC).”
However, Songco said that the administration is not in favor of the boycott.
“We feel that the students deserve to have a peaceful and orderly ROTC. While we are moving for the abolition of the ROTC, we feel that the law is still there. And we have to respect the law. ROTC should go on,” she said.
For the meantime, Songco said that they had formed a committee that will closely monitor the implementation of the UST-ROTC. Headed by ROTC Regent Fr. Ermito de Sagon, the members of the committee include UST Registrar Prof. Rodolfo Clavio, Faculty of Engineering Dean Marilyn Mabini, Songco, Budget Director Prof. Florina Aguiling, and College of Architecture Dean Luis Ferrer.
Before the ROTC opening ceremony last June 24, activists were already handing out black ribbons to the cadets. After the Mass, they went nearer the platoon formation to call on the cadets to join the protest.
Cadets then braved the net of Military Police (MP), who surrounded the platoons and acted as a human barricade to prevent the cadets from leaving their formations.
“Abolish. (The ROTC is a) waste of time (because I’m an) Architecture student. Mahirap gumawa ng plates, tapos dito pagod ka, nahihilo, walang ginagawa at nakabilad sa araw. Ayoko talaga dito,” cadet Jeffrey Inguillo said.
There were cadets who joined the walkout but did not call for the abolition of the ROTC.
Yumul said he walked out to call for justice for Mark Chua and for abolition of the ROTC’s oppressive system.
Yumul was one of the cadets who joined Chua in his complaint last year about the alleged extortion and corruption in the UST Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST).
Parents could not help but be concerned. Many could be seen watching and waiting for their sons at the pavilion and on the benches at the sides of the Grandstand.
Maribel Dolomandin waited with her husband and two other sons to wait for her son, a freshman. She admitted she was alarmed over the rumors regarding the ROTC and wanted it abolished.
“Mahirap magpalaki ng anak no. (Tapos) papatayin lang (nila),” Dolomandin said.
Dolomandin considered the ROTC classes a disturbance since she, as a mother, would have wanted Sunday as a “family day”. Her family had to adjust and go to Mass at Santissimo Rosario Parish Church so that after the Mass they could fetch her son after his ROTC.
The UST Golden Corps of Cadets Advance ROTC Alumni Association showed their support for the embattled program by coming to the ceremony. Brig. Gen. Angel Sadang, national commander of the Golden Cross and Saber Alumni Association, Inc. said students have nothing to fear about ROTC.
“It was Mark’s training of discipline and integrity from ROTC that made him stand up against the corrupt people of UST-ROTC. Why would they want to abolish (ROTC)?” Sadang said.
Sadang assured improvements in the ROTC since the UST alumni association would be watching the program closely. He said a Thomasian commandant might be named.
Former commandant Capt. Rodolfo Batang said that Col. Froilan Maglaya, national head of the ROTC, had given the go-signal to have the Department of Military Science and Tactics to be named after Mark Chua.
Field trips at military museums will now be included in the curriculum. This will be done in order to keep the students interested in attending their ROTC.
