Robredo, lawmakers criticize termination of UP-DND accord

VICE President Leni Robredo, an alumna of the University of the Philippines (UP), said the unilateral abrogation of the UP agreement with the Department of National Defense (DND) effective January 15, 2021 will sow fear instead of law and order.

She pointed out that the agreement, forged in June 1989 and known as the Sotoenrile Accord, merely requires the police and military to give notice to university officials before any operations in UP.

“This is neither a difficult nor onerous rule, and five Presidents since 1989 have managed to protect both the UP community and the Republic without breaking it,” Robredo said.

“Clearly, then, this is not a practical gesture, but a symbolic one. One designed to sow fear. One designed to discourage dissent. One designed to silence criticism,” she added.

Lawmakers also criticized the DND move.

Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago said it was done in blatant disregard of the academic freedom and human rights of the students, teachers and education stakeholders.

Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Carlos Zarate said it was part of the crackdown against the critics of the regime.

"UP is known for its openness to ideas and debates as well as academic freedom, these are the ideals that the DND are trying to suppress by unilaterally abrogating the accord. Indeed, for fascism, academic freedom is an anathema,” he said.

"Obviously these militarists do not want the UP system to be the venue of critical thinking, even protest actions that they can readily suppress and attack," he added.

ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro expressed fear over the possible surveillance of students and teachers now that the accord has been scrapped and uniformed personnel may enter the university premises at will.

Muntinlupa City Representative Ruffy Biazon and Senators Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan, Nancy Binay and Sonny Angara also expressed opposed the termination of the agreement and said the DND should reconsider.

Drilon received his Doctor of Laws degree from UP while Pangilinan was a former chairman of the UP Student Council and a former Student Regent. Binay and Angara also earned their degrees from UP.

Drilon said he will personally ask Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to review the termination of the agreement. He said it will not solve any problem, but will instead tighten the tension.

ROBREDO 9