SAMASA and TUGON, once bitter rivals, unite for U.P.
SAMASA and TUGON were once bitter rivals for the University Student Council of UP Diliman in the 1980s and 1990s. But finding common cause in the defense of UP’s academic freedom, alumni of the two former rival student political parties united to issue a joint statement against the Department of National Defense’s unilateral abrogation of the 1989 UP-DND accords.
In the joint statement, SAMASA and TUGON decried the DND’s unilateral termination of the 1989 Agreement, saying it “is not only a barefaced betrayal of its commitments to UP, but also an assault in broad daylight on the academic freedom and institutional autonomy that are guaranteed by Congress through its charter.”
They denounced the termination as a part of the government’s latest attack against activism and dissent which eliminates key freedoms essential to UP’s academic freedom and institutional autonomy, such as: (a) The non-entry of military and police operatives into UP campuses nationwide except under strictly defined circumstances and after complying with strictly defined procedures; (b) the non-interference by the military or police in protest activities within UP campuses nationwide; and (c) the prohibition of the arrest, detention and custodial investigation of UP students, faculty and employees, except upon prior notice to UP authorities.
SAMASA and TUGON emphasized that intellectual liberty is foundational to democracy and that from it “springs the great freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution to each and every Filipino: free speech and expression, a free press, freedom of association, religious freedom, the right to assemble for the redress of grievances, and academic freedom.” They emphasized that “in no place should academic freedom be most zealously guarded than in our schools and universities, where it stands as the first protection of the unfettered life of the mind.”
Both groups called on every UP officer, student, teacher, employee, alumni, to relentlessly defend UP’s academic freedom. They called on the DND to respect and abide by the 1981 Soto Accord and the 1989 Accord. They also called on all UP alumni in both Houses of Congress to lead a legislative initiative to defend these protections to UP and academic freedom and to elevate them into law through amendments to the UP Charter and to designate UP campuses nationwide as “freedom parks” pursuant to Batas Pambansa 880.
Among the signatories are Sen. Francis Pangilinan, a former UP University Student Council chairman, former Reps. Teddy Baguilat and Barry Gutierrez, and DLSU School of Law Dean Gil de los Reyes.
Alumni of the two groups interested to get details of the campaign were urged to contact Susan Villanueva, SAMASA Alumni chairman, at 09178450376 and [email protected], or Gigo Alampay at 09178906160.