Moneeze Bernardo
- Mike Enriquez earned the ire of netizens after commenting over students who join rallies
‘Using DZBB as his platform, anchor Mike Enriquez said over the radio waves, “Kayong mga Iskolar ng Bayan, rally kayo nang rally. Kami ang nagtutustos sa ipinagpapaaral sa inyo!”
The statement drew flak from The Professional Heckler’s twitter post, a known humor blog account, oftentimes aligning on satire when it comes to social and political issues.
In his post dated February 19, 2019, he reminisced over the rallies he has attended during his college days which proved fruitful for the causes he believed in — at one time even stopping a dorm fee increase.
“Kayong mga Iskolar ng Bayan, rally kayo nang rally. Kami ang nagtutustos sa ipinagpapaaral sa inyo!”
~Mike Enriquez (DZBB) pic.twitter.com/grBya7BCGc— The Professional Heckler (@hecklerforever8) February 20, 2019
He mocked Enriquez’s butting in over the issue when the famous news anchor was not even a State University graduate.
Professional Heckler said that he was able to graduate on time and he did not have any problems with his grades. “And excuse me, Mike Enriquez, hindi nasayang ang subsidy ng gobyerno sa pag-aaral ko!,” he added.
Some other netizens aren’t happy about the statement
Scholarship is not a bribe for my silence.
— Jared H. Down (@iamjohnedwardc) February 20, 2019
Excuuuuuse meee poooo! Panay din ang rally+acads+lakwatsa+toma+rally pa more ko nuon pero gumradweyt ako on time at ngayon ay naninilbihan sa pagpapailaw sa mga bundok at looban, pinagkakasya ang tira ng mga politiko sa mga buwis na binbayaran ko din! #tagaUP
— Maestrell (@Maestrell1) February 20, 2019
Let's trace how much of taxpayer's money actually go to UP and how much go to politician's pockets. Anyway, mali ang "puro rally"; should be rally + acads + marami pang extra-curricular. And ilang % of students lng nagrarally. #FactsMatter
— Dom Free (@__j88__) February 20, 2019
Even adding fuel to the fire, the post included Bong Revilla’s pork barrel case where he encouraged the anchor to dig deep to the issue and not rely on SOCO stories.
The same sentiment of Professional Heckler was echoed in veteran lawmaker Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s statement saying that all students, including those who take part in street protests, are afforded by the state with the right to free speech and expression, to peaceably assemble, and petition the government for redress of grievances–a remark he made as response to National Youth Commission chairman Ronald Cardema after he urged President Rodrigo Duterte to cancel the scholarship of state university and college students who participated in anti-government protests.
These student protesters also enjoy the right to due process and equal protection, just like any other citizen of the country and Escudero insisted that “Kung may sisipain (sa pwesto) dapat siya at ‘di ang mga estudyante.”
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education, Arts, and Culture even pointed out that “Both the President and the government should serve every Filipino without distinction and regardless of political beliefs. Dissent in a democracy should never be frowned upon, much less penalized in any way.”
