Following the arrest of seven protesters in Cebu, University of the Philippines-Diliman (UP Diliman) Fighting Maroons player Kobe Paras promised to help raise funds for the bail of the seven individuals dubbed as Cebu 7.
Last Friday, May 5, seven individuals were arrested by the police at the University of the Philippines - Cebu (UP Cebu) after allegedly violating quarantine protocols during a mass protest against the Anti-Terrorism Bill.
Kobe Paras, the son of celebrities Benjie Paras and Jackie Forster, took to Twitter to condemn the act and vowed to help raise funds for their bail.
He wrote: “I saw the news in Cebu about my fellow Iskos and Iskas. To all my people there who got arrested. Thank you for standing up for what is right. To all my isko and iskas in Cebu & everywhere else, stay strong, stay safe, and stand ten toes down. We will raise money to bail those affected!”
I saw the news in Cebu about my fellow isko and Iskas.
— Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras ✊🏽 (@_kokoparas) June 5, 2020
To all my people there who got arrested
Thank you standing up for what is right.
To all my isko and iskas in cebu & everywhere else, stay strong, stay safe, and stand ten toes down.
We will raise money to bail those affected!
Among those who were apprehended by the police were UP alumnus Al Ingking; BAYAN Central Visayas’ Jaime Paglinawan; National Union of Students of the Philippines’ (NUSP) Joahanna Veloso; YANAT Cebu’s Bern Cañedo; Kabataan Partylist’s Dyan Gumanao; Anakbayan UP Cebu’s Nar Porlas; and an individual named Janry Ubal from a group called “Food Not Bombs Cebu.”
In a separate tweet, Kobe also expressed his views on the Anti-Terror Bill — explaining why it matters to him.
“I’m for the #JunkTerrorBill. But don’t just choose what you see! Try to see other people’s perspectives as well. People are dying. Innocent people are getting killed. Now I speak up for those who are getting hurt in Mindanao. I’m all for justice but not murdering people,” he wrote.
He went on: “I had an uncle who died and never got help because the police just didn’t want to help him and it hurts so much because he could’ve still been here ... so that’s why I say look at other people’s perspectives as well.”
I’m for the #JunkTerrorBill✊🏾
— Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras ✊🏽 (@_kokoparas) June 6, 2020
But don’t just choose what you see!
Try to see other people’s perspectives as well.
People are dying.
Innocent people are getting killed.
Now I speak up for those who are getting hurt in Mindanao.
I’m all for justice but not murdering people.
I had an uncle who died and never got help because the police just didn’t want to help him and it hurts so much because he could’ve still been here...
— Kobe Lorenzo Forster Paras ✊🏽 (@_kokoparas) June 6, 2020
so that why I say look at other people’s perspectives as well.
Prior to joining the UP Fighting Maroons, Kobe Paras played for the Creighton University in the US during his freshman year.