In a joint petition sent to the Board of Regents (BOR), the All UP Academic Employees Union and the Defend UP Network put forth a petition echoing the numerous demands of the UP community for academic freedom in light of recent attacks.
The groups sent the petition as the board gathered for the first time since the beginning of the second semester and under new UP President Angelo Jimenez.
At the same time, Faculty Regent Carl Ramota highlighted the need to create an official UP committee for the protection of academic freedom.
“The latest incident of terror-tagging against bonafide organizations highlights the urgency of establishing a mechanism that will use UP’s administrative and legal machinery to protect university constituents, including partner individuals, institutions, and communities,” Ramota said.
The UP Community’s Five-Point Agenda
The petition focused on five key points: upholding the right to academic freedom, asserting the need to institutionalize and fortify the UP-DILG accord, ensuring that campuses become safe havens for progressives, creating a university security committee, and seeking accountability for those behind state attacks.
First, they urged the UP administration to defend the right of UP students and personnel to “teach, learn and organize without state interference. “
Second, in response to the various recorded violations in the past weeks, they called on the authorities to uphold the UP-DILG Accord and prevent unlawful arrests and illegal entries in the future.
Third, in line with the resolution passed during the 54th General Assembly of Student Councils, they urged the administration to make UP campuses safe havens for the UP community, especially for the progressive individuals and organizations relentlessly attacked by the state.
Fourth, similar to Faculty Regent Ramota’s proposal, they lobbied for the creation of a security and legal assistance committee dedicated to monitoring violations and developing legal remendies to counter red-tagging, state intimidation, and harassment.
Finally, they sought accountability from violators of the UP community’s rights, and also called on the administration to actively oppose institutions such as the PNP, AFP, and NTF-ELCAC who have incessantly trampled upon progressive students, teachers, and personnel.
“Nanawagan tayo sa BOR ngayon, maging sa susunod pa, na tugunan nila ang ating pangangailangan at tumindig sila kasama ng up community laban sa pasismo, tiraniya at diktadura ng rehimeng Marcos Jr.,” said DUPN Convenor Neo Aison.
Signed by 37 UP organizations, and formations from across the UP system, the petitioners believe that the consolidated demands are a point of unity for the UP community.
The formations came from different constituent units and colleges, with both Ugnayang Tanggol KAPP and the Freshie, Shiftee, and Transferee Council signing from CSSP.
UP under attack
The petition comes in response to a growing number of threats against the campuses and individuals, with Aison recounting several recent instances.
“Kahapon lamang ay nagkaroon ng red-tagging forum ang NTF-ELCAC sa loob mismo ng UPLB. Sa UP Cebu naman, may swat team na nakapwesto sa labas ng kanilang campus. Sa UP Diliman, ilang beses nakitang narito sa ating campus ang PNP. Sa UPM, February 13 nagkaroon ng ‘flag raising ceremony’ kuno ang PNP habang ang militar naman ay nanghimasok sa UP Mindanao.”
Victims of these attacks also include Professor Melania Flores who was shamelessly arrested inside her home within the UP campus on apparent violations of her SSS remittance by arresting officers posing as DSWD officials.
READ: https://twitter.com/PahayagangKAPP/status/1622453301798408192?s=20
The petitioners also cited the kidnapping in broad daylight of development workers Dyan Gumanao and Armand Dayoha from UP Cebu who went missing on January 10 this year.
READ: https://sinag.press/news/2023/01/15/cebu-police-mum-on-whereabouts-of-missing-devt-workers/
“Doon natin nakikita, buong sistemang UP ang binabantaan at under attack dito – plain and simple na state fascism ang nangyayari,” said Aison.
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Featured image is from Justin Daduya
