Atienza backs probe into unilateral termination of UP-DND pact

Deputy Speaker Lito Atienza on Sunday backed the proposal for the House of Representatives to investigate the unilateral abrogation of the 1989 pact between the University of the Philippines (UP) and the Department of National Defense (DND).

In a Dobol B sa News TV interview, Atienza said he believed the UP-DND Accord "has done good" in the past 30 years, as seen in the behavior of students in UP campuses.

The accord prohibits police and military forces from entering UP campuses without prior coordination with university officials.

"Magmula noong 1989, maganda naman ang naging behavior, actuation at galaw ng ating mga mag-aaral sa UP. So it has done good," Atienza said.

"Now that the military, through [Defense Secretary Delfin] Lorenzana, has abrogated the agreement unilaterally, palagay ko kailangan makialam ang Kongreso. Alamin natin, bakit niyo ginawa yan? Anong dahilan?" he added.

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

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

But Atienza believed that the military could stop the supposed recruitment of communist rebels on campuses without jeopardizing the safety of the entire student body.

"I am with the military to fight and neutralize whatever NPA activities that are active now in the campuses especially UP. I am for them doing their job and neutralizing all these criminal elements," he said.

"[But] any illegal act can be prosecuted and neutralized even without involving the whole student body," he added.

Instead of terminating the UP-DND Accord, Atienza advised the military to ramp up its intelligence-gathering network to pinpoint the individuals who are involved in the recruitment of communist rebels.

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman had filed a resolution to investigate the unilateral termination of the UP-DND Accord, which had the support of other lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Quezon City Representative Kit Belmonte filed a bill that would apply provisions of the UP-DND Accord to all state universities and colleges in the country. — DVM, GMA News