Duterte says students joining protests won't lose scholarships: 'but if you support destruction of gov't, that's rebellion'

Composite photo from GMA Network and Politiko (ctto)

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday said that there is nothing wrong with students opposing his administration but warned that those who are pushing for “destruction” of government may still lose their scholarship.

He also clarified that mere membership of students attending public universities and colleges to organizations identified with the Left should not be a ground for scholarship revocation.

“If you disagree with my move, you disagree or you don’t find consonance in our decisions, fine,” the president

The remarks from the chief executive came after National Youth Commission Chairman Ronald Cardema statement urging Duterte to remove the government scholarships granted to “rebellious” students.

“If you go and say, ‘let us go out and join the NPA, give food to the NPA, money to the NPA, then you espouse the destruction of the duly constituted government," he said

“If you espouse to overthrow the government, then you are committing a crime of rebellion. Now you become a part or member of the other larger groups whether it is — it has a name or a whatever, a loose federation or a grouping — then you become a member of that organized group. And that would be rebellion,” said Duterte.

“And when the time comes, I will arrest all of them and they will lose everything that government has offered them,” he added.

Source: ABS CBN, Politiko