UP Chancellor: Stop red-tagging students, teachers

University of the Philippines Diliman Chancellor Michael Tan has called on the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to stop labeling its students and faculty members as communist rebels, saying that such red-tagging tactic emboldens security forces to harass them.

Tan issued the response in connection with the statement made by Calabarzon Police regional director Chief Superintendent Edward Carranza that students from UP and Polytechnic University of the Philippines are being forced by the New People's Army (NPA) to join the rebel group in an immersion in Kalayaan, Laguna.

Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated his order to "destroy" the communist rebels, "including its legal fronts and infrastructure."

Tan cited the cases of UP Diliman researchers and a doctorate student who were harassed by the military while doing their research work in Isabela and Zamboanga Sibugay, respectively, just because of their affiliation with UP Diliman.

“In May last year, researchers from our College of Science's Institute of Biology were harassed by an Army sergeant while they were doing field work in Palanan, Isabela, and they were threatened several times, citing their being from UP as evidence that they were rebels," Tan said in a statement.

He continued that in December last year, a PhD student in Linguistics was also harassed by military personnel while she was doing research on one of the languages in Zamboanga Sibugay.

"These incidents show the dangers of scare tactics, where the military or police might be emboldened to harass, threaten or even harm students, researchers or faculty,” Tan added.

“Whatever academic degree they might be pursuing, our students need to explore and appreciate the world outside of UP and to develop their competencies, linked to social realities. This is why red baiting tactics always alarm us because besides causing distress to students and parents, we worry about how the red baiting will impact soldiers and police, especially in rural areas,” he said.

Red baiting, according to the UP official, can only cause anxiety among parents and students while encouraging the military and the police to harass faculty and students.

“Our students' education must go beyond the narrow confines of our classrooms or campuses. Let us allow UP researchers to further enrich our knowledge about our country's history, languages, arts and culture, ecosystems, flora and fauna without fear of harassment," he said.

"Let us allow iskolar ng bayan, many of whom come from families of government personnel, the military and the police, to pursue a well-rounded education, in touch with and caring about the world outside of UP,” he added.

Tan assured the public that any out of classroom activity have to be cleared with UP Diliman's Office of the Field Activities, and that faculty members need to submit a comprehensive description of the intended activity, with details on faculty supervision, where the students will be, who the students are, waivers for minors, and certificate of physical fitness when appropriate.

Tan stressed that diligence should also be exercised by the security forces.

“We will continue to encourage and support out-of-classroom learning activities, while taking more precautions, including obtaining prior clearances from local government officials. We also continue to coordinate with the police and military, but ask they exert more due diligence in the field, especially in remote areas,” he said. —LDF, GMA News