Senate bill limits entry of uniformed personnel in SUCs

Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Tuesday filed a bill that would prohibit the unauthorized entry of uniformed personnel in all state universities and colleges (SUCs) in the Philippines.

Senate Bill No. 2016 or the proposed Academic Freedom Act states that members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Coast Guard, and the commissioned corps of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority may only be allowed entry upon prior coordination with the SUC administrations.

They may also be allowed to enter SUCs' premises in cases of hot pursuit and emergencies, or in cases of ordinary transit.

Under the proposed law, the uniformed personnel shall make prior notification to the proper SUC official, as far as practicable, before serving search or arrest warrants on any student, faculty, employee, or invited participant in any official SUC activity.

The bill likewise states that no SUC student, faculty, or employee shall be subjected to custodial investigation or detention without warrant of arrest under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 without, as far as practicable, prior notice to the appropriate SUC official.

Freedom parks

Pangilinan's bill establishes all SUCs in the country as freedom parks—meaning no permit shall be required by the national or local government for holding assemblies.

"Uniformed personnel shall not interfere with peaceful protest action by SUC constituents within SUC premises," it read.

The filing of the bill came on the heels of the Department of National Defense's unilateral termination of its 1989 agreement with the University of the Philippines.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said this step was taken because UP had allegedly become a breeding ground for the recruitment of communist rebels.

UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Elena Pernia, however, said that the university did not condone acts of sedition.

Earlier this week, the UP welcomed the DND's decision to answer the various calls for dialogue regarding the unilateral abrogation of the accord. — DVM, GMA News