Waks Buenaflor
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| Waks Buenaflor | |
|---|---|
| File:Joaquin "Waks" Buenaflor.jpgJoaquin "Waks" Buenaflor.jpg Buenaflor, 2025 | |
| Born | Joaquin Buenaflor August 30 |
| 🏫 Education | University of the Philippines Diliman |
| 💼 Occupation | student activist |
Joaquin 'Waks' Buenaflor (born August 30) is a Filipino student activist from the University of the Philippines Diliman (UP Diliman) currently serving as the Chairperson of the University Student Council. He is one of the activists who received a subpoena from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) regarding the riots related to the anti-corruption protest last September 21, 2025 at Luneta which went to Mendiola.[1] Later, the CIDG filed cases of sedition, rebellion, and other similar cases to nearly one hundred individuals, including Buenaflor.[2]
Background
Buenaflor came from SALiGAN sa CSSP, a local political party in UP Diliman College of Social Science and Philosophy. He previously served as a USC councilor from 2024 until his election as the USC chairperson in 2025. He ran under the Laban Kabataan Coalition, a temporary coalition of some independent candidates that ran for the 2025 regular student council elections, mass organizations, and college political parties. Buenaflor garnered 6082 votes, the highest number of votes that a chairperson candidate received since 2000, at a time when the student population in UP Diliman was at its third highest since 2000 (25,722 students).[3][4][5] The 2025 regular student council elections also marked the first time that the voter turnout in the council elections reached 40% since the 46.18% voter turnout in 2021.[4][6][7]
Under the Laban Kabataan Coalition, he was slatemates with Amanda Echanis, then a political prisoner.
Activism
As a student leader-activist, Buenaflor lead protests and other actions upholding the rights of the UP community, fellow youth, and the Filipino people in general. He has been active in campus issues, including standing with farmers and urban poor being threatened by development aggression inside the UP Diliman campus,[8] standing with campus vendors struggling for their place within the school,[9] defending the rights of students for reading breaks,[10] and campaigning for more student spaces and denouncing infrastructure delays.[11]
He lead many anti-corruption student protests leading to September 21, 2025, the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law by former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and further protests.[12]
Subpoena and sedition case
Buenaflor was one of the student activists who received subpoenas from the PNP-CIDG regarding the riots regarding the riots related to the September 21, 2025 anti-corruption protest.[1] The others included Tiffany Brillante, Chairperson of Sentral na Konseho ng mga Mag-aaral of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP); De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde student Aldrin Kitsune of the Kalayaan Kontra Korapsyon (KKK); and Jacob Baluyot of the PUP The Catalyst.[2][1] The Buenaflor residence received the complaint on October 22.[13] UP President Angelo Jimenez expressed support for Buenaflor.[1]
In response, Buenaflor and Brillante dared the PNP-CIDG, saying that they "respectfully urge the CIDG to direct its investigative and prosecutorial efforts toward those accountable for corruption… instead of targeting youth leaders and ordinary citizens exercising their democratic rights and fulfilling their civic duties." The student leaders declined to appear before the CIDG.[1] According to Malacañang Press Officer Claire Castro, said that the subpoena can serve as simply the police seeking information, not equating that the person has committed a wrongdoing and part of the respondents of a case.[14]
On October 27, students staged a protest in front of a gate of Camp Crame denouncing the subpoena by the PNP. The protesters burned a large copy of a mock subpoena bearing the names of Buenaflor, et al..[15][16][17]
On November 2025, the CIDG filed cases of sedition, rebellion, and other similar cases to nearly one hundred individuals, including the four mentioned above, including Buenaflor.[2]
Council for People’s Development and Governance's Spokesperson and former Gabriela Representative LIza Maza defended Buenaflor, stating that this is an instance where political repression and authoritarianism is worsening under the presidency of Marcos Jr..[18] The National Union of Peoples' Lawyers also expressed support, condemning the sedition charges as "escalation of the state's criminalization of dissent."[2]
Post-September 21, the likes of Buenaflor have continuously staged continuous protests against corruption and issuances of subpoena, including 'Black Friday Protests'.[19]
On February 2026, Buenaflor, together with the UP Diliman College of Human Kinetics (CHK) Student Council raised concerns on the partnership of UPD-CHK and PNP-Special Action Force (SAF), saying that this is a possible threat to academic freedoms, as the PNP is responsible for the filing of sedition charges against Buenaflor.[20]
Other advocacies
On February 2026, Buenaflor expressed dismay over the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to allow the non-appearance of former President Rodrigo Duterte during the pre-trial hearings of the court regarding the former president's hand at the Philippine drug war. He saw this decision as somewhat as a preferential treatment of Duterte, lamenting how victims of the drug war were not even able to pursue due processes. He said that Duterte should experience worse tribulations compared to what the victims have experienced.[21]
Buenaflor, during a press conference, were one of those who announced the February 25, 2026 protest commemorating the 40th anniversary of EDSA People Power Revolt. He said that while there are those criticizing that the youth did not live during the days of martial law, they know the contemporary issues that are happening, saying that no top official has been held accountable for corruption.[22]
Buenaflor have also spoken against the General Appropriations Act (GAA) FY 2026 or the national budget under the Marcos Jr. administration.[23]
See also
References
This article "Waks Buenaflor" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Waks Buenaflor. Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Sigales, Jason (2025-10-27). "UP, PUP student leaders to CIDG: Go after the corrupt, not youth leaders". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 NUPL (2025-11-05). "NUPL Condemns New Sedition and Rebellion Charges as Part of the State's Escalating Criminalization of Dissent". NUPL Philippines. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ sports, Danie Cabrera Danie Cabrera is a; Sciences, news staffer for TNP's 46th year She is a Psychology student from the UP College of Social; Philosophy. (2025-05-16). "ON SPOTLIGHT: 11 candidates seek to clinch UPD USC seats". Tinig ng Plaridel. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 With Dwindling Poll Turnouts and Lag in Funding, USC Is Being Stretched Too Thin
- ↑ Media, Andre Esguerra Andre Esguerra was editor-in-chief for TNP's 47th year He is a journalism student at UP College of; Communication. (2025-05-18). "Antonio proclaimed new USC vice chair despite abstentions topping race". Tinig ng Plaridel. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ UP Diliman Office of Student Projects and Activities. Results of the 2025 regular student council elections. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GscgsBmTc/
- ↑ UP Diliman Office of Student Projects and Activities. Result of the 2024 special student council elections. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19WCQfajts/
- ↑ Lanog (February 5, 2026). "LOOK | Farmers and residents from Pook Aguinaldo, Krus Na Ligas (KNL), and Malantic Bukid join students at UP Diliman Quezon Hall in a mobilization against the SDG Wellness Park project, calling out the long-standing harassment they have faced from UP forces over the years". Facebook.
- ↑ "Philippine Collegian". phkule.org. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ "Philippine Collegian". phkule.org. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ "Philippine Collegian". phkule.org. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ "When churches ring bells against corruption: the new Philippines' mass movement - Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières". www.europe-solidaire.org. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ Sigales, Jason (2025-10-23). "PNP subpoenas UP student council chair over violent incidents on Sept. 21". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ Presidential Communications Office (October 24, 2025). "Malacañang Press Briefing of Palace Press Officer and PCO Undersecretary Claire Castro".
- ↑ De Guzman, Karen (October 27, 2025). "Youth groups slam subpoenas issued to student leaders over Sept. 21 protest". ABS-CBN News.
- ↑ Nievera, Allysa (October 27, 2025). "Students stage protest at Camp Crame, demands release of arrested youth activists". Manila Bulletin.
- ↑ Staff, Bulatlat (2025-11-20). "Campus press condemns attempt by police anti-cybercrime to censor UP publication". Bulatlat. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ "Defend the Youth: Hands off Waks Buenaflor and All Student Leaders". CPDG. 2025-10-25. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ News, G. M. A. (2025-10-24). "Protests, walkouts vs. corruption continue". GMA News Online. Retrieved 2026-02-21.
- ↑ "Philippine Collegian". phkule.org. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ Manahan, Job (February 20, 2026). "Groups dismayed over ICC decision allowing Duterte's non-appearance". ABS-CBN News.
- ↑ Contributors, Bulatlat (2026-02-18). "EDSA40 protest seeks to revive people power against corruption". Bulatlat. Retrieved 2026-02-22.
- ↑ . Season Nazareno 2026 Special. January 10, 2026. Radio Veritas. Missing or empty
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