NEWS | After UP-DND Accord abrogation, state forces redtag 18 more schools
By Jaxine Dominique Laguio
Ruckus trembled as the Department of National Defense’s (DND) unilateral termination of the 1989 University of the Philippines (UP)-DND Accord was made public on January 18. In the state’s continuous war on dissent, efforts to repress academic freedom in the UP System were made such as branding the institution as breeding ground for terrorists and justifying the drug war. Statements and rallies soon erupted from the enraged UP community after a series of slanderous accusations by state forces, who also went on to redtag other state universities and colleges (SUCs), as well as private tertiary educational institutions.
‘Obsolete and Unnecessary’
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s letter addressed to UP President, Danilo Concepcion, dated Jan. 15, justified the need to abolish the agreement stating that it is a hindrance in providing effective security, safety, and welfare of the students, faculty, and employees of UP. The UP-DND Accord bars state forces to enter UP campuses without coordination from the University officials.
In support, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo used the drug war to justify termination of accord.
“Paano na lamang po kung mayroong shabu laboratory, for instance. sa loob ng University of the Philippines community or campus and meron tayong valid arrest warrant at search warrant?” Arevalo asked.
However, Atty. Antonio La Viñae explained that the unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord “had no legal basis” and just merely “red-tagged students who are fearlessly standing up for what they believe in”.
According to him, there is no provided exit clause in the accord, as such, both parties should agree to end the mutual pact.
UP fights back
Despite impending danger, the UP community, alongside multi-sectoral groups, held an indignation rally in UP Diliman to condemn the abrupt scrapping of the UP-DND accord, on Jan. 19.
“The historical sentiment is shared — fear and the weariness against the police. This is not out of education but simply because of how they act, how they hold themselves sparks fear into the hearts, into the minds of the UP community,” newly student regent-elect Renee Louise Co attested.
Consequently, Concepcion also released a statement, reiterating that “instead of instilling confidence in our police and military, your decision can only sow more confusion and mistrust, given that you have not specified what it is that you exactly aim to do or put in place in lieu of the protections and courtesies afforded by the agreement.”
Meanwhile, the UP administration stood united with its students in the fight as all seven chancellors of UP’s constituent universities released official statements condemning the decision.
“Claiming that the Accord has served as a “hindrance in providing effective security, safety, and welfare of the students, faculty, and employees of UP” is certainly an empty assertion and cannot be used as justification over this arbitrary action. On the contrary, the termination of the Accord will make University constituents vulnerable to state attacks and various forms of human rights violations,” proclaimed the UP Manila administration.
Furthermore, in a unity statement, UP Manila University Student Council (UPM USC) denounced the abolition of the accord, arguing that the DND’s perspective regarding the agreement is only a tactic to infiltrate the university, to disguise their malicious intents as official and coordinated activities.
The UP-DND accord, is also known as the Ramos-Abueva accord, as it was signed on June 30, 1989 by the former UP President Jose Abueva and former DND Secretary Fidel Ramos.
This followed as the staff of Philippine Collegian, Donato Continente, was abducted on June 16, 1989 in the student center (Vinzons Hall). It was said that the state forces tortured him and forced him to confess to have killed Colonel James Rowe.
Continuous repression to silence dissent
Days after the abrogation of the Accord, military people and vehicles were seen suspiciously lurking around at different UP campuses in Diliman, Los Baños, and Cebu. Punong Barangay Zenaida Lectura of Barangay UP Campus in UP Diliman dubbed the AFP’s visit in their barangay last Jan. 20 as invasive since the AFP did not coordinate with them before doing so.
Consequently, scandal-ridden Duterte Youth Representative Ducielle Cardema reached out to the DND for the cancellation of the Prudente-Ramos Accord, the counterpart of the UP-DND accord in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). Cardema argued that both universities receive special treatment when other SUCs are not given the same privilege.
“Kung sa iba’t ibang SUCs ng bansa wala namang ganiyang accord pero peaceful naman. Tama lamang tanggalin na ang special treatment na ‘yan na naaabuso rin naman,” Cardema asserted.
Both the UP-DND and PUP-DND Accords are by-products of the LFS-DND Accord, or better yet known as the Soto-Enrile accord. It was signed in 1982, amidst Marcos’ regime, by then-League of Filipino Students (LFS) Chairperson Sonia Soto and former Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile.
Meanwhile, on Jan. 23, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict’s (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. claimed that 18 additional colleges and universities as ‘recruitment havens’ for communist rebels. Among the schools redtagged were the PUP, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU), Far Eastern University (FEU), University of Santo Tomas (UST), Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), and University of Makati (UMak).
In a joint statement, leaders of the ADMU, DLSU, FEU, and UST rejected Parlade’s claims and argued that their universities ensure that students engage in strengthening social cohesion, defending the country’s democratic institutions, and promoting nation-building.
“We therefore object to General Parlade’s statement and emphasize that our institutions neither promote nor condone recruitment activities of the New People’s Army and, indeed, of any movement that aims to violently overthrow the government,” the four universities added.
Uphold academic freedom
After the recent series of redtaggings and attacks, the Makabayan Bloc of the House of Representatives filed House Resolution №1491 which urges the congress to uphold UP-DND accord and defend academic freedom, not just in UP, but in all educational institutions in the country.
“No special treatment, just hard-fought agreements to uphold academic freedom, protect the rights of their constituents, and prevent cases of abuse of authority from ever happening again inside campuses. Paglingkuran ang sambayanan, hindi may kapangyarihan,” Kabataan Partylist Rep. Sarah Elago stressed in her tweet.
Moreover, Senators Kiko Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay, Ralph Recto, Leila de Lima, Franklin Drilon, and Joel Villanueva also tendered Proposed Senate Resolution (PSR) №616, prompting the UP and DND to find commutuality which will promote national peace and security, as well as protect academic freedom and the pursuit of excellence in the institution.
“Kung desidido ang administrasyon maghanap ng komunista, pagdiskitahan nila ‘yung komunistang lantarang nanghihimasok sa West Philippine Sea,” Hontiveros said, referring to the Philippine-Chinese dispute over the West Philippine sea.
Dialogue between UP-DND
On Sunday, Jan. 24 , Lorenzana said that he would meet with the Conception and the rest of the UP administration next week to discuss the termination of the Accord. Lorenzana insists that the university officials explain the alleged involvement of its students in the communist insurgency during their meeting.
Furthermore, Vice President Leni Robredo, a UP Diliman alumna, also urged dialogue between the UP administration and AFP. She explained that both parties should cooperate with each other to address the problem, reiterating that they should not treat each other as enemies.
