MANILA, Philippines — Prominent alumni of the University of the Philippines on Thursday hit threats to academic freedom after the termination of UP's accord with the defense department, as well as the rising cases of red-tagging hurled against students and activists.
Such issues were put on spotlight after the DND without engaging in discussions with the state-run institution ended the decades-long agreement, which bars entry to state forces without prior notifying university administrators.
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The move has since been feared as the latest in what many view as an attack by the administration on those expressing dissent, anchored on unproven claims that UP has become a hotbed of armed communist recruitment.
In a webinar, university alumni sought for a strong pushback on the said allegations as well as "something permanent" to withstand attacks on academic freedom and in turn, on educational institutions.
"We can't just have an episodal collective action like what we're doing now," said economist Solita Monsod, who proposed a nationwide association of university faculty members. "Let's make it permanent so we have institutional memory."
Monsod cited groups in other countries similar to her recommendation, for "when a particular university, maybe their faculty gets so afraid but a union that is just more than a university but of universities is a much stronger organization to deal with.
Those opposing the accord's termination have relayed concerns that academic freedom may be a casualty of the DND's move, along with freedom of expression especially since UP campuses are frequent venues for staging protests, especially at a time when mass gatherings are prohibited due to the pandemic.
UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo said a similar pact should instead be made with all universities to ensure that academic freedom in institutions, not just in UP, "are respected and protected."
"Tama 'yung sinabi ni Secretary Lorenzana. What's so special about UP? We should have the same for all universities," he said. "It's about time we talked with other universities because our concerns are their concerns too."
The UP System's administration has since begun talks with the defense department over the accord, per photos released by the Commission on Higher Education earlier today.
Contents of the meeting were not disclosed, but CHED Chairman Prosero de Vera, who had described the accord as problematic, said it was a good start to keep dialogue ongoing.
But despite pronouncements by Lorenzana that state forces will honor UP's freedoms, Dean Soledad Mawis of Lyceum of the Philippines' College of Law said continuing cases of the military linking individuals as having ties to the CPP-NPA "is the anathema to his verbal assurances."
"The sudden and unilateral abrogation of the UP-DND accord does not reassure safety," she said, "but sows fear in the hearts of the professors and students, moreso when it is done in the effectivity of the much discussed and feared Anti-Terror Law."
Mawis, who was a student activist and leader in her days, added that it is not UP's fault if students had opted to take up arms, a thought echoed by Nemenzo, who said: "What we provide is a learning environment but whatever decisions they make, these are mature students. They take responsibility for their decisions."
CHED chief De Vera has since said that he would form a panel to define academic freedom, with members of the body yet to be announced. And while the DND is unlikely to back down from its decision, measures in Congress have since been filed to institutionalize the long-cherished accord.
Incidents of red-tagging, however, are feared to continue, especially with a senior military official, Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, yet to be held responsible for the many incidents he has figured in on blatantly accusing individuals and institutions without proof.
Joining the discussion, former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te described the situation in the country as a war on many things: on truth, accountability, and honor and excellence — values embodied by UP as is shown in its motto.
"It's a war on truth right now, so yes we need to stand for that. We need to say, 'anong basehan mo sa sinabi mong 'yan?" he said. "It's a war on accountability. No one is being held accountable for all these untruths, disinformation..it's a war on excellence, arguments that are mediocre are being bandied around as truth. Papayagan ba natin 'yun?"