By Genalyn Kabiling

It is up to National Youth Commission (NYC) chair Ronald Cardema to decide on calls for his resignation over his controversial proposal to revoke state scholarships of student protesters, Malacañang said Thursday.

Cardema knows what to do if he believes he has become a burden to the Duterte administration, according to Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo.

“Iyong call for resignation nasa kanya, if he feels na he is still adequate, alam niya na kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin. Kung sa tingin niya nakakabigat siya sa administrasyon dahil doon sa kanyang mga katataga, eh alam niya rin ang gagawin niya [On the calls for his resignation, if he feels that he is still adequate he knows what to do. If he thinks he has become a burden to the administration because of his statement, he also knows what to do],” Panelo said in a radio interview.

“The fact alone that the President has made his statement on the matter, I think that person should know what to do,” he added.

Cardema recently asked President Duterte to issue an executive order withdrawing the government scholarships of students who join anti-government rallies, especially those linked to the communist rebel group. Some groups have opposed Cardema’s attempt to curtail free speech while others sought his resignation over the matter.

Reacting to Cardema’s proposal, President Duterte found nothing unlawful if students express dissent and join protest rallies.

Duterte, however, admitted that the students could lose their scholarship if they join the New People’s Army (NPA) and “espouse the destruction” of the government “feeding food on their mouth.”

“Wala naman kung dissent lang [No harm in dissenting]. If you disagree with my move, or you do not find consonance,” Duterte said in an interview with reporters at the Palace last Wednesday. “Those are just expression. I need more overt acts,” he added.

“(But) if you espouse, I said, support the NPAs, espouse the destruction of government, I will consider you an enemy,” he said.

Meantime, Panelo suggested to Cardema to get tips from former NYC chair Carina “Aiza” Seguerra on how to address other issues affecting the country’s youth.

“Siguro magpaturo siya kay Aiza Seguerra,” he said, when asked if the NYC head was focused on addressing youth issues such as bullying.