Kim and Eliana Atienza | Images: Instagram/@kuyakim_atienza, @elianahatienza
Seasoned TV host Kim Atienza defended his daughter, Eliana Atienza, after the latter made international headlines for participating in pro-Palestine protests at the University of Pennsylvania, which resulted in the latter receiving disciplinary action from the school administration.
The former “Matanglawin” host said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that “he and the rest of his family support his daughter and her advocacies” and that her recent actions are not signs that she is “pro-Hamas but more of an anti-genocide.”
“Eliana has always been vocal about what she believes in. In this instance, she’s part of the organization that is anti-genocide and anti-war,” said Atienza.
After Eliana’s interview with US media outlets saying that she “has been kicked out of her university dorm” and was basically “homeless” went viral, with most criticizing their family’s “lavish lifestyle,” amid her claims, Atienza remarked that his daughter’s sentiments “were taken out of context.”
“She was technically homeless because she was removed from her dorm. Unfortunately, that message was taken out of context. She never said she was poor,” he said.
The father of the 19-year-old sophomore student also clarified that his daughter was “not expelled” after the encampment.
“She had some academic sanctions, but she will be back in the next semester as they are on summer break right now,” he shared.
As recently reported by the New York Post and Philadelphia Inquirer, Eliana was one of six students who received disciplinary sanctions from UPenn for taking part in an “on-campus protest against Israel for its genocide against Hamas.”
Eliana attempted to appeal with the university officials, requesting that the institution cut all financial ties to Israel amid its ongoing military offensive in Gaza, which has killed at least 28,000 Palestinians to date. She also signed a letter endorsing “Palestinians who are fighting to liberate their lands from the Israeli occupation.”
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