St. Scho alums slam cyberbullying of students in anti-Marcos protests

A group of alumnae from St. Scholastica’s College on Wednesday condemned online attacks that their school has been receiving following its protest against the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

In a statement signed by 1,000 Scholasticans, the group expressed concern over young students who have become victims of cyberbullying after participating in the school's rally.

"We condemn the attacks against our alma mater claiming that young Scholasticans are being abused and forced to protest to advance a political agenda. We are greatly concerned over the proliferation of false reports that have triggered cyberbullying attacks against young Scholasticans. We urge netizens to be vigilant and cautious of this negative propaganda," they said.

SSC students had joined the protests that swelled across the nation following the surprise burial of Marcos last Friday.

News and photos of their protest received some negative comments on social media, with netizens claiming that the school forced the students to participate and that it was a form of child abuse.

The alumnae group took offense at accusations of child abuse, saying that the Constitution encourages the youth's participation in the country's affairs.

"We take serious exception to the accusation that the active social participation of children is a form of child abuse. Contrary to that claim, the Philippine Constitution 'recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs.' The UN Convention on the Rights of Children also states that 'children have the basic right to freedom of expression, which includes the freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds,'" they said in the statement.

The group also warned that they have taken note of the identity of individuals who have attacked the students by way of threats, harassment, hurtful comments and cyberbullying. They are considering legal measures to "protect these children and their rights."

They said that these bullies are the ones who are committing child abuse.

"We will fight to ensure that many more generations of Scholasticans can stand up for a just society - free from oppression, abuse, and discrimination," they said. —Jessica Bartolome/JST, GMA News