Enrile to those opposed to mandatory ROTC: 'Leave, you're not Filipinos'
If he had his way, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile would not allow those who oppose the mandatory Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) to go to school.
He also asked them to "leave" the country because "you're not Filipinos."
"Wala na akong pasensya eh. 'Pag ako masusunod, 'yang mga estudyante na 'yan na ayaw magserbisyo sa militar, 'wag n'yong pagaralin (I have no patience anymore. If I had the chance, I would not send to school those who do not want to serve in the military)," Enrile said in an interview with SMNI News on Saturday.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s chief counsel said Filipinos must learn to fight in time of war because "there's no option but to kill."
"Sa gyera, walang option, tatamaan ka ng bala, tatamaan ka ng missile, tatamaan ka ng bomba, patay ka. At kailangan pumatay ka rin kundi wala (In war, there is not option. You will be hit by bullet, by missiles, by bomb, and you're dead. You also need to kill, otherwise you're the one to be killed)," he said.
"Kayong di nakaranas ng gyera, magsisi kayo pag wala kayong training (Those of you who have not experienced war, you will regret if you do not have any training)," he added.
Enrile made his remark in response to a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey that showed that 35 percent of surveyed Filipinos supported the inclusion of ROTC as a mandatory course for Grade 11 and 12 students.
A total of 42 percent wanted the program to be optional, while 22 percent expressed opposition to it.
Enrile also questioned the survey, saying why there was no need to conduct such because "there is no surveying during war."
"Kung talagang hindi kayo desidido na makinibang sa inyong buhay... umalis kayo dito. Hindi kayo Pilipino (If you really do not want to live, then leave. You're not Filipinos)," he said.