Manila: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte refused to accept the honorary degree that was offered by the premier University of the Philippines.
“With due respect to the University of the Philippines, I don’t accept (such titles) even when I was a mayor (of Davao City). I never did. As a matter of personal and official policy, I don’t accept … I simply decline (UP’s offer),” said Duterte.
UP Board of Regents (BOR) Chairperson Patricia Licuanan said earlier the proposed plan to offer honorary degrees to an incumbent president has been part of UP’s tradition.
When this was announced, critics of Duetrte, most of them from UP, over-reacted and took the opportunity to criticise his bloody campaign against illegal drug trade. Most UP students were also against the burial of former President (a UP graduate) Ferdinand Marcos at the National Heroes Cemetery. It was based on a decision of the Supreme Court (most justices of the Apex Court were UP graduates).
“Honours are not deserved by a president whose regime killed thousands of citizens and leaders of progressive groups under the government’s Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Kapayapaan,” said UP Student Regent Raoul Manuel.
“Honours must not be given to a President that declares all-out war against his people to quell their struggle for just and lasting peace, and reimposes death penalty to legitimise the killing of the poor,” said Manuel.
He referred to Duterte’s push in Congress for the re-imposition of death penalty for crimes such as drug pushing or murder under the influence of drugs.
The president “has not even exhibited excellence to date,” said Manuel,
Duterte finished his undergraduate studies at Manila’s Lyceum University where Jose Maria Sison, a former UP English professor and founder of the 48-year old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) was his professor. He graduated in law at Manila’s San Beda College. He studied at the Ateneo de Davao in southern Philippines for his primary education.
