A history group refuted actor Robin Padilla’s claim that the De La Salle University (DLSU) was established by Spanish.
On Sunday, Padilla said DLSU was established for “insulares, peninsulares, and mestizos” during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines.
“Are you from Ateneo? de la Salle? UST? All Spanish established schools for insulares, peninsulares, and mestizos. You don’t need to be a doctor of anything to accept reality,” the action star wrote on his Facebook account, replying to a netizen who called him out for defending Sen. Bong Go who earlier claimed that Lapulapu was a Tausug who came from Sulu.
Padilla's claim was quickly debunked by history advocacy group High School Philippine History Movement.
"De La Salle University was founded on June 16, 1911 during the American era. It first accepted 125 students. It was founded with the help of the Catholic brothers, the 'Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools' or more known as the Lasallian Brothers," the group wrote on Facebook in Filipino.
"It was not founded during the Spanish period or by the Spanish friars. These are irrefutable historical facts. Nothing personal. Just facts," it added.
The High School Philippine History Movement also reminded the public to listen to experts and avoid listening to "pseudohistorians."
The group advocates for the return of the Philippine history as a dedicated subject in junior and senior high.
According to DLSU's website, it was established by the Catholic teaching congregation Brothers of the Christian Schools.
Meanwhile, the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) were both established in the Spanish era.