By Argyll Cyrus Geducos Malacañang has shrugged off the cheer-dance routine of the University of the Philippines-Visayas (UPV) Skimmers, saying that the student might just have been emulating President Duterte for making a joke about their declaration of the need to kill the Chief Executive. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after the cheer-dance routine went viral on social media over the weekend. In the video, UPV academic group Skimmers tackled local and national issues, including media oppression, vaccination, the proposal to revive the mandatory ROTC, and land conversion among others. The students also tackled the West Philippine Sea issue and even called Duterte China's lapdog. One of the highlights of the routine was when the students declared "Let's kill this President!” after which they shouted “Charot!" to mean that it was just a joke. The group rendered the cheer to the tune of "Kill This Love" by K-Pop group BLACKPINK. In his Monday press briefing, Panelo said the group was just probably joking during that part of their routine, noting how the students chanted the Filipino gay slang "charot" which often implied that a statement preceding it was just a joke. The Palace official also said that anybody in this country was free to crack jokes or criticize. "Obviously they were joking. It's a free country, they can dish out jokes, criticisms," Panelo said. "Eh, joke naman pala, eh. Si Presidente rin 'di ba nagsasabi siya ng 'kill.' Baka ginagaya lang nila si Presidente (It's just a joke. Even the President always says 'kill.' Maybe they're just copying him)," he added. The viral cheer routine, however, did not sit well with Duterte's supporters who threatened to "kill" the students as well. According to Panelo, the President's supporters also had the right to express themselves. "It's a free country, as I said. They can react, too," he said. "Siyempre ang dating sa kanila baka hindi sila nagbibiro. Kunwari nagbibiro sila pero talagang binabanatan nila si Presidente (They might have thought the students were not joking and were really attacking the President). That's a very natural reaction for supporters of the President," he added. Read more: UP Visayas decries online harassment over satirical cheer dance