MANILA, Philippines — Over a week after the defense department terminated its accord with the University of the Philippines, a lawmaker is filing a bill to restrict interference of academic freedom within state universities and colleges.
In filing Senate Bill No. 2016 or "An act to strengthen and uphold the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction, in all state universities and colleges," Sen. Francis Pangilinan pointed to Section 5, Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution which guarantees academic freedom for institutions of higher learning.
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The proposed measure seeks to "protect and guarantee academic freedom enjoyed by state universities and colleges" by:
- Recognizing that state universities and colleges can exercise their full acts of ownership over their property, including ensuring security within school property
- Requiring prior notification before the service of warrants against students
- Clarifying situations where law enforcement can enter school property (e.g. hot pursuit and emergency situations)
- Creating a joint monitoring committee to ensure its proper implementation
Pangilinan's bill comes amid the backdrop of the junking of the 1989 agreement between the University of the Philippines, the country's premier state university, and the Department of National Defense. Before its termination, the pact required state forces to secure authorization before entering the campus—though this was not always honored on the part of the national police.
The right-wing Duterte Youth Party-list has called for the abrogation of a similar deal between the DND and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, which is also a state institution.
"All institutions of higher learning, especially all state universities and colleges, should be centers of free thought—environments that encourage new thoughts and tests old ones. Intellectual liberty is foundational to a democracy," the lawmaker wrote in his explanatory note.
"Our nation's top political, legal, business, economic, civic, and scientific leaders, both past and present, are fruits of the enjoyment of unimpeded and unrestrained academic freedom by institutions of higher learning."
QC assures academic freedom, support for UP
In a separate statement issued earlier Tuesday, the Quezon City local government assured the university of its support for academic freedom within the university, though it did not mention the unilaterally terminated accord.
Quezon City People’s Law Enforcement Board Executive Officer Rafael Calinisan, a lawyer, also vowed that any abusive conduct of cops that may be done in the UP Campus will be "dealt with accordingly."
“We pledge that disciplinary action awaits possible abusive conduct by policemen inside the UP Diliman campus. Please be reminded that we all live in a democracy where basic freedoms, including academic freedom, must be upheld,” he said.
"True learning will only happen in an environment where there is a free discourse of ideas by all members of the community. In Quezon City, academic freedom will always be protected and upheld," Mayor Joy Belmonte also said.
Why does this matter?
- Peaceful protest actions and demonstrations by groups critical of the Duterte administration are typically held within the UP Diliman campus
- The Commission on Human Rights, also a common site for protesters, is also situated within the campus' borders
- UP grounds have long been a safe haven for activists, as they cannot be arrested on school grounds under the now-scrapped deal
- With the agreement scrapped, police and military forces can freely enter campuses if they so desire
— with a report from News5