President of the University of the Philippines (UP), Danilo Concepcion, on Tuesday raised concerns about the protection of academic freedom in the wake of the Department of National Defense's (DND) unilateral move to terminate the 1989 agreement between the sides that prohibits the military and police from entering UP campuses without prior notification
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2021) President of the University of the Philippines (UP), Danilo Concepcion, on Tuesday raised concerns about the protection of academic freedom in the wake of the Department of National Defense's (DND) unilateral move to terminate the 1989 agreement between the sides that prohibits the military and police from entering UP campuses without prior notification.
Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana officially notified the university about the decision to abrogate the agreement, citing reports alleging that the deal is used by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People's Army (CPP-NPA) recruiters and supporters as a shield to recruit members so that government cannot conduct operations against the communist terrorist group. The decision was made public on Monday night.
"Our University community does not and cannot fear the fair and speedy enforcement of the law, and we value and appreciate the contributions of our uniformed services to our safety and security ... At the same time, especially given our experience of martial law, we must reject any form or semblance of militarization on our campuses, which will have a chilling effect deleterious to academic freedom," said in a letter to the DND head.
According to the university head, the DND's measure was "totally unnecessary and unwarranted" and may only deteriorate relations between the institutions, since the agreement never prevented police and security forces from conducting lawful operations within UP campuses.
"Our police and military authorities should have no fear of academic freedom. Indeed UP has bred rebels and nonconformists�as well as it has bred presidents, senators, congressmen, and business, civic, and even military leaders. All the world's great universities have produced the same range of thinkers and doers. By and large, intellectual and political dissidents in UP have always been in the minority, but it is a critical minority that has historically been vital to the maintenance of a healthy democracy," the president concluded, urging the DND to reconsider the decision.
The termination of the agreement comes at a time when protests are restricted as part of measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic and the government's antagonistic treatment of demonstrators. The government of President Rodrigo Duterte has been widely criticized for its heavy-handed approach to public security, as well as the alleged use of the fight against terrorism to deal with people and organizations it deems undesirable. The Duterte administration has denied such allegations.
