Noise Barrage against Death Penalty, EJK and MACR Enters Carolinian Grounds
Photo by Carmelle Gacasan
The Carolinian spirit has emerged from its political and democratic view of life by means of the Noise Barrage, a university-wide rally against death penalty, extrajudicial killings and lowering of minimum age for criminal responsibility (MACR) that was simultaneously held last Thursday, March 16, 2017 from 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. in the designated areas of the three USC campuses – Talamban Campus, Downtown Campus and South Campus.
The noise barrage encouraged the entire Carolinian community from all three campuses in the tertiary and secondary level to express, defend, speak out and stand up for justice against the recently revived Death Penalty bill by the lower house. In addition to this, the university also opposed to the lowering of the criminal age, from 15 to nine years old. show dissent to the impractical policies of the government.
Students and faculty members coming from different departments participated in the barrage as they lined up to chant slogans related to the said issues. As the barrage went on, the vehicles passing by the campuses began honking their horns and making affirmative gestures, signaling their expression of support to the students and faculty members who offered their time and effort to state their dissent on the issues at hand.
In the USC South Campus, where education majors and non-tertiary students were present, high school students led the bulk of the noise barrage. Nearby stores were running out of whistles and trumpets and those who weren’t able to purchase used their voices instead. Banners and placards were drawn out and together with the faculty and the lower years supporting at the sides of the ground, a large swell of noise, given melody by its singular goal, swept past the walls of the campus pentagon.
However, despite the consensus of views between the majority of the faculty, the administration and the student body, it was continuously reiterated throughout the campuses that participation in the demonstrations was not a requirement of any sort. Everyone was highly encouraged to join but no one was urged to do so for grades or any other school-based factors. Their ideologies of what was right was what fueled them to do so. When asked to comment on their participation, these were some of the Carolians’ sentiments:
“I don’t think death penalty is a solution to criminality,” stated Mackinly Sy, a Business Administration major.
“Di man dud sakto. Di ko kasabot ug nganung ipugos na nila. Sayup diay tanan gipangtudlo sa amua about human rights?” stated James, a grade 9 student.
“Dili angay nga kita’y mukuha sa life sa usa ka taw, and to think that we’ve been fighting against it for the OFWs like Mary Jane Veloso. We are so against it but when it comes to our own country, we are letting it pass,” stated Katrina Gayle Blanco, SSC Councilor.
Grace Bualat, Department Chair of Political Science, said, “Personally, I stand for life. The Political Science department has always been consistent with its position against death penalty, extrajudicial killings, and the lowering of minimum age of criminal responsibility this is our way of becoming genuine witness to the word, we are not just here to learn theories and concepts but we want the student to be engaged and fully aware.” Stated, Grace Bualat, Department Chair of Political Science.
