UP Diliman defends student leader subpoenaed over anti-corruption rallies
MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines Diliman said it is assisting one of its student leaders after police recently served him a subpoena over recent anti-corruption rallies, calling the move an attack on academic freedom and the right to dissent.
The UP Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs said in an email to Philstar.com that the university “upholds and strongly supports students’ right to speak freely as an essential foundation of democratic participation and academic freedom.”
“Calling out irregularities in government processes is not only a right; it is a shared social responsibility of all Filipinos committed to truth, justice, and good governance,” the university said in its statement, adding that critical thinking “must be encouraged" and "not suppressed or met with intimidation.”
Joaquin Buenaflor, chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council, said that police officers arrived at his home on Wednesday to deliver the subpoena. This is purportedly in connection with his role in organizing or joining recent anti-corruption protests.
The student leader said he was the fourth such person to have been issued the subpoena by police after three student leaders at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
In its statement, UP Diliman said it “condemns all forms of harassment” against members of the UP community who demand accountability from public officials. It added that the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, working with the Committee on the Protection of Freedom and Rights and other university units, has taken steps to help defend Buenaflor’s rights.
The police's subpoenas for Buenaflor and other student leaders came a month after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) affirmed students’ right to join demonstrations, saying they must not be “silenced, threatened or intimidated” for speaking out against corruption.
In a statement issued on September 23, CHED urged colleges and universities to protect students who may face harassment for expressing dissent and to extend full support to those who are targeted. The commission said schools are expected to safeguard their students while allowing law enforcement to carry out its duties “with respect for the rights of students who choose to express themselves within the law.”
CHED’s rare pronouncement followed the massive September 21 protests that drew tens of thousands of Filipinos to Luneta and EDSA Shrine to denounce corruption in public works projects. The rallies, largely peaceful through most of the day, turned tense after clashes between police and protesters led to more than 200 arrests, including several students.
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