MANILA, Philippines — An activist doctor and professor has received death threats after he joined a protest rally demanding an augmentation for the budget of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).
In a Facebook post, All UP Academic Employees Union-Manila (AUPAEU-Manila) said that its President, Dr. Gene Nisperos, received on Monday night a text message saying that they know his residence and he and his family will be killed soon.
“Alam ko ang condo mo. (I know where your condominium is.) We will get your family one by one… You are dead by… including your children and wife,” reads part of the text message, which copy was posted by AUPAEU-Manila on Tuesday.
The text message was sent to Nisperos hours after he joined a rally at the PGH lobby on Monday, demanding a P10-billion budget for the public hospital.
AUPAEU-Manila strongly condemned the threat against Nisperos, saying this is a “continuation” of the attacks against activists, teachers, and unionists under the Duterte administration.
“Following months of profiling, red-tagging, vilification, threats, and harassment of members in other AUPAEU chapters, the Union sees this as a continuation of the attacks to activists, teachers, and unionists perpetrated by State security forces under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte,” it said in a statement.
“Our Union will not tremble in the face of vicious repressive measures and increasingly fascist attacks by this administration,” it added.
The AUPAE-Manila called for an end to the harassment, threats, and all forms of “state-sponsored violence inflicted on those who stand for what is right and just.” /kga