Belmonte suggests adding provisions in UP-DND Accord to UP Charter

Quezon City Representative Kit Belmonte on Tuesday suggested that Congress amend the Charter governing the University of the Philippines (UP) to assure the implementation of the provisions stated in the UP-Department of National Defense (DND) Accord.

Belmonte made the remark after the defense department unilaterally terminated the pact, supposedly to take away any hindrance in ensuring the security, safety, and welfare of the UP community.

In his interpellation to the privilege speech of Kabataan party-list Representative Sarah Elago, Belmonte said the hands of lawmakers, especially the UP alumni like him, are not entirely tied when it comes to ensuring academic freedom and other freedoms in the university.

"Maaaring yung mga [UP] graduates dito... pwede naman nating by law baguhin yung UP Charter para enshrined na yang mga provisions na yan sa Charter ng UP," he said.

Belmonte went on to suggest that the Charters and mandates of other universities may also be amended to protect the rights of its students, teachers, and other members of their communities.

"These freedoms are enshrined to protect our freedom of speech, academic freedom, ay dapat available sa lahat," he said.

"So bakit hindi na rin natin ayusin sa Committee on Higher Education na itong mga prinsipyo na ito ay isama na rin natin sa mga Charter at mga mandate ng State Universities and Colleges or even yung mga Local Universities and Colleges natin?" he added.

In response, Elago, another UP alumna, expressed support for Belmonte's suggestion, saying that she is willing to study and possibly propose it later on.

"Kung meron akong natutunan sa UP, ito ay ang tao mismo, ang kabataan, ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan, ang education stakeholders natin, ang UP community, ang sambayanang Pilipino ay mayroong magagawa para isulat at hubugin ang ating kinabukasan," she said.

"Napakahalaga na ngayon pa lang ay pag-usapan na natin. Habang ating patuloy na pinagtatanggol ang Accord at ang academic freedom, maaari namang umusad na ang mga hakbang upang palakasin ito para sa lahat ng ating mga paaralan," she added.

In his letter informing UP of their decision to end the accord, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana cited information that communist rebels are supposedly recruiting students inside the campus.

He argued that the accord hinders the DND in providing “effective security, safety and welfare” of the students, faculty, and employees of UP.

He also said that the agreement was already obsolete as times and circumstances have changed since it was signed in 1989.

But Belmonte believes that terminating the UP-DND Accord may only further anger the students and cause greater resistance to the government.

While he understands that state forces are duty-bound to protect the interest of the people, he said revoking the agreement "may not work in the long run."

"Maybe tactically may chilling effect yan, baka may ilang estudyanteng hindi mag-enroll sa UP," Belmonte said.

"Pero in the long run, and history tells us, repression breeds resistance, and lalo lang nilang palalakihin ang problema instead of resolving it," he added.

Apart from Belmonte and Elago, other House lawmakers including members of the Makabayan Bloc denounced the termination of the UP-DND Accord, saying that it would only result in the militarization of the UP campuses and curtail academic freedom.

Analakusugan party-list Representative Mike Defensor and Deputy Speaker Rufus Rodriguez also called on the DND to reconsider its termination of the agreement.

UP President Danilo Concepcion, meanwhile, said that termination of the UP-DND Accord was "totally unnecessary and unwarranted," and may only taint the relations between the two institutions.

He also maintained that they do not condone sedition, armed insurrection, or the use of violence for political ends. — BM, GMA News