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State universities, students enjoy too much freedom: evangelist

By Marita Moaje

February 8, 2021, 8:55 pm

<p>Eliseo Fernando Soriano, also known as Brother Eli, televangelist and ‘Overall Servant’ of the Members Church of God International. (<em>Screengrab</em>)</p>

Eliseo Fernando Soriano, also known as Brother Eli, televangelist and ‘Overall Servant’ of the Members Church of God International. (Screengrab)

MANILA – Given their autonomous status, state colleges and universities like the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), including government scholars have been enjoying too much freedom, a televangelist said.

Speaking during the “Ang Dating Daan” teleradyo program hosted by Daniel Razon over UNTV on Feb. 1, Eliseo Fernando Soriano, ‘Overall Servant’ of the Members Church of God International (MCGI), said state universities are still under the national government hence, should submit to it.

Dapat alamin mo, me gobyerno ang buong Pilipinas, nasa ilalim ka nun, bakit mo ipagbabawal na mag-interfere ang gobyerno mo samantalang ikaw ay nasa mababang kalagayan (You should understand, the Philippines has a government, you are under that government, why would you not allow the government to interfere with your affairs when you are in a lower position),” said Soriano, known as Brother Eli.

He likened the administration of these state universities to the local government saying a city mayor may have powers to govern his area, but he should always submit to the provincial government that oversees the whole province where his city is located, and the province is under the national government that governs the whole country.

Soriano was responding to a question posed by one Rona Esmedia, an MCGI member and PUP student if they should confront the allegations being thrown against them as student leaders or submit to governing authorities.

Esmedia, who claimed she is a member of the PUP student council, said there is friction between the university and the military over the PUP-Department of National Defense agreement.

Ang nangyari sa amin sa konseho eh na red tag kami, so ibig sabihin ng na red tag, me allegation na meron sa aming parte ng NPA (New People’s Army), ngayon lang ang kinakatakot lang namin dahil na red tag nga kami andun nakasalalay yung buhay namin, so andun yung pagtatanong kung dapat ba kaming lumaban against sa red tag allegation namin o dapat ba kaming magpasakop kasi yun din ang nababasa ko sa Bibliya? (What happened is that we were red-tagged, which means that there is an allegation that there are NPA members among us. What we fear right now is our safety so we ask, should we fight the allegations or should we submit as what I read in the Bible?),” she asked.

Soriano said there is nothing to fear if one is being linked to communist groups.

Kahit saang unibersidad, pag ayaw nyo, nag re-resist kayo na pakialaman kayo ng gobyerno in whatever manner for the good of the institution which is state-owned, hindi mo sarili yan (In all the universities, if you resist from the government in whatever manner for the good of the institution that is state-owned, you do not own PUP),” he added.

Soriano slammed the administration of UP, PUP, and other higher education institutions that allow, and even encourage their students to fight the government.

There is too much freedom to the point that it is already being abused, he added.

Bakit? Eh masyadong pinalaya kasi. Bakit ka manghihingi ng accord na hindi kayo pwedeng pasukin, bakit hindi pwedeng pumasok ang mga pulis? Kaya nagiging breeding ground ng mga gagong mga NPA yan na kalaban ng gobyerno (Why? There is too much freedom.  Why would you ask for an accord that police authorities cannot enter your university? That is why they become breeding grounds of these NPAs [that fights the government),” he said.

NPA breeding grounds

Soriano said it is a fact that many former students from UP and PUP have become members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), NPA, and National Democratic Front (NDF) and have taken arms against the government.

He added that while parents work hard to be able to send their children to college, these communist terrorist groups (CTGs) through their legal front organizations continue to recruit students, brainwash them, and lure them into joining communist terrorist groups.

Ikaw ba Rona gusto mong pumaris dun sa mga ganun? Nagtitiis yung mga magulang mo para paaralain ka sa pinakamataas na institusyon sa Pilipinas, nagtitiis na hindi kumakain ng masarap para lang masustentuhan ang pag aaral mo tapos mamayang konti mababalitaan ng nanay mo nasa bundok, ka kababae mong tao me dala-dala kang armalite (Do you want to be like them, Rona? Your parents endure all the difficulties just so you can study in the best learning institutions in the country, then afterward, your mother will learn that you went to the mountains and that you are already carrying a rifle),” Soriano asked Esmedia.

In the history of the country, Soriano said, the NPA has not done any good for the country and the people.

He went on to say that communist terrorists have always contradicted all the past presidents and administrations, adding that this is because of their founder, Jose Maria Sison, whose ambition is to be the country’s president.

Soriano said evidence showed a number of students from these state universities became members of communist groups

He said he just wanted these young people to understand the real situation.

Eh meron na ngang ebidensya, nagiging breeding ground ang UP ng mga NPA, merong mga recruiting agency (groups) dyan para lasunin ang kaisipan ng mga kabataan, para palabanin sa mga gobyerno (There are pieces of evidence, UP has become a breeding ground of the NPA, recruitments are happening inside the university to poison the minds of our youth and make them fight the government),” Soriano said.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

He added that if authorities will inform university administrations before conducting a checkpoint, then they will never arrest a single terrorist that lure students to join the armed struggle against the government.  

Soriano was referring to the DND's Jan. 15 termination of the 30-year old DND-UP agreement prohibiting the military and police from UP campuses without prior notice to the University’s administration. (PNA)

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