Iranian students in PHL decry 'terrorists' label

(Updated 10:57 p.m.) The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) set a conciliation meeting with representatives of Manila Central University (MCU) and a group of over 100 Iranian students, who accused school officials and faculty of “oppressive practices and discriminatory acts" including calling them “terrorists" and “terrorist supporters." Attorney Ernesto Tabao, a lawyer for MCU, said the university will participate in the Sept. 27 meeting with CHED and the Iranian complainants. The Iranian students, enrolled in the MCU College of Dentistry, petitioned the CHED Tuesday to intervene. They claimed that MCU professors and security personnel call them "terrorists" and "terrorist supporters" and hurl insults at them. "We are routinely accused of cheating during examination time but no processes are ever conducted against us. We are routinely discriminated against in grading and regularly suffer demerits for alleged 'unfair' behavior," the signatories said in their letter of complaint. "The Dean of the College of Dentistry is very vocal about his hatred for Iranian people and culture and our religion, Islam, in particular," the complainants added.
'Threatened with expulsion' The complainants’ lawyer, Atty. Trixie Cruz Angeles said many Iranian students are enrolled in MCU, particularly in dentistry, pharmacy, and medicine programs. Angeles said Iranian students come to the Philippines to take these courses because of the stringent admission requirements in schools in Iran. "They're actually doing us a favor by enrolling here and spending their money in the country," she told GMA News Online. In the letter submitted to CHED, the students also complained that the university only allows Iranian students to pay the tuition in full, while other students may settle the fees on an installment basis. "Only Iranian students are required to pay tuition in full and in cash, as against Filipino students who are allowed to pay in installments, thus ensuring that the University is fully paid should they decide to expel or refuse our admission," the complaint letter read. The students said they sent several letters to the MCU Office of Student Affairs, the Dean of the College of Dentistry, and the University President regarding the matter, but they did not receive any from these offices. In addition, the students claimed MCU warned them not to approach CHED regarding their complaints. "Iranian students are threatened with expulsion or failure in their subjects if we complain to CHED about our issues, and (the university has) informed us that we will no longer be admitted to university in such cases," the complaint letter read. Angeles said the students are starting to question why the school administration quickly dismisses their grievances. "We're not asking for special rules or considerations. We just want (MCU) to be fair and decide according to the rules," she said in a phone interview. "The students just want their beliefs to be respected and for them not to be unjustly accused." 'They want to dictate' Atty. Tabao said the MCU administration did not receive any complaint regarding issues of discriminatory acts and insults. Tabao told GMA News Online that they only received one letter of complaint from several Iranian students regarding class availability during a particular semester. "They wanted to take some subjects that was only available during the first semester, pero gusto nila i-take nung second semester," Tabao said. "They want to dictate upon the school kung anong gusto nila." He added that it was not the first time the Iranian students asked for "special consideration," saying that the Iranian students had requested once to take their final exams early so they could celebrate an Iranian holiday. "They've been rampant in doing these things. Nag-rally sila, hinihingi na agahan ang final exams," he said. "They want to impose the rules on us." Apart from the letter of complaint, no other letter or any form of communication has been sent to the administration, Tabao said. "Kung talagang seryoso sila na, give us the received copy nung letter," he said. He added that faculty members of MCU do not speak down to their students. "No teacher in his right mind would call a student a terrorist," he said. "Pampalabok na lang nila 'yan (para) mapansin ng media," Tabao said. CHED to mediate CHED executive director Julito Vitriolo said they will review the complaint, but that CHED will first try to mediate in the dispute. "Ipapatawag 'yung school and 'yung students at susubukang ma-resolve muna between them," Vitriolo told GMA News Online. Vitriolo said that if the students and the university cannot resolve the issues between them, the students have the option to file a harassment case against the administration or the faculty members involved. The complainants’ lawyer urged CHED to look into the matter and to "discipline MCU" and impose sanctions if necessary. "CHED has oversight over the universities' programs and manner in which they can deliver quality education," Atty. Angeles said. "Naka-prescribe sa manual ang procedures for disciplinary proceedings, and that includes the means for accepting complaints." "Titingnan pa natin 'yung kaso, pero sa ngayon, wala namang sanction na maisasampa pa roon sa eskwelahan," the CHED executive director said. The Philippines is host to 3,225 Iranian students, according to Bureau of Immigration data released last month. The bureau said the country has more than 26,000 foreign students, 11,612 of whom are South Koreans while 3,961 are Chinese. Of the 26,000 plus, at least 17,000 are college students and the rest are in elementary and high school. — Candice Montenegro, RSJ/MRT/ELR/VS, GMA News