Camarines Sur lawmaker faces backlash for lashing out at student survey results

“This blatant assault on campus press freedom is a violation of the constitutional right to free speech, freedom of the press, and the protections afforded to student journalists under the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 (Republic Act No. 7079),” the Journalism Studies Association of the Philippines (JSAP) said in a statement.

Discrediting the survey

According to the poll, 30.1% of the student respondents voted for Villafuerte, while 43% voted for his opponent Bong Rodriguez, who was the former regional campaign manager of Vice President Leni Robredo. About 26.9% abstained.   

The congressman, however, dismissed the survey as fabricated. His reasoning? It conflicted with Pulse Asia Research’s findings, which showed him leading by a wide margin — with 80% having voted for him.

However, Villafuerte overlooked that the survey reflected the preferences of CSPC students—a sampling that is not representative of the entire Camarines Sur electorate as in Pulse Asia’s poll.

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines - Albay (NUJP-Albay), questioned whether the congressman genuinely misunderstood statistics or intentionally dismissed results from a smaller group, such as the 1 in 4 CSPC students who remained undecided or did not prefer either candidate.

“It’s a shame that the CSPC administration and L-ray wasted this opportunity to hear the real insight that this survey holds,” the group said in a statement. 

Targeted outrage

Villafuerte also went as far as posting a photo of The SPARK’s associate editor, Fernan Matthew Enimedez, along with his family, labeling him a “pinklawan” — a derogatory term for opposition supporters who backed Robredo.

He also accused Enimedez of bias and alleged that he was part of his political rival’s propaganda.

The JSAP warned that the congressman’s actions “set a dangerous precedent,” infringing campus press freedom and discouraging aspiring student journalists from their commitment to truth-telling.

It added that mock polls, like the one conducted by The SPARK, are a common practice on college campuses, capturing the sentiments of students “whose futures will be shaped by local and national election outcomes.”

Criticizing survey results is not even the issue, Rep. Raoul Manuel (Kabataan Party-List) said. The real problem, he argued, is the attacks on student publications and journalists for their critical reporting — even targeting them personally.

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) also decried Villafuerte’s response, calling it “harassment” aimed at censoring the press and depriving communities of crucial information.

“Ultimately, the campus press’ ability to spark discussions and politicize its constituents prove that administrations fear the power of genuine student representation,” the group said in a statement. 

If Villafuerte truly champions “youth empowerment and development,” as he says in his Facebook posts, CEGP said his actions suggest otherwise.

Government action urged

The University of the Philippines College of Media and Communication (UP CMC) urged the government to uphold the law and ensure the safety of student journalists. Meanwhile, JSAP and CEGP called on both the government and school administrators to investigate the incident.

In a statement on Monday, February 10, the CSPC administration said it is currently “coordinating with relevant authorities and stakeholders” to address concerns and protect its students’ rights and security. 

“We reaffirm our commitment to safeguarding academic freedom and a culture of responsible and independent journalism within CSPC.” the college said.