Student groups from different universities backed the University of the Philippines (UP) and condemned the decision of the Department of National Defense (DND) to scrap an agreement that prohibits state forces from entering UP campuses without notifying school officials.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) College of Communication Student Council called the DND's move a "blatant red-tagging" and an "outright attack" against academic freedom and the rights of students.

"The COC SC strongly condemns this motion from the DND, because we believe that this is an outright attack on the students' rights and academic freedom, and a blatant red-tagging that harms the safety of all the students to freely express their dissent and opinions towards the authority," the council said in a statement.

According to them, the university should be a "safe space" for all students, as well as a platform to exercise their academic freedom at all times even amid the current pandemic.

"As it happens to one, it is not impossible for the state to fully invade the educational spaces and threaten its safety," it added.

The college student council also called on the PUP administration to act and condemn the unilateral termination of the DND-UP Accord "as soon as possible for it could also happen to the university in days to come."

"State forces have no space inside the campus. Protect the students. Defend our rights!" it said.

Meanwhile, The Dawn, University of the East's official student publication, also condemned the decision of the DND to end the 1989 pact which they tagged as "blatant disrespect of the state to educational institutions."

In a statement, The Dawn said the abrogation of the more than three-decade old agreement poses threat and danger to the students not just of UP, but to other universities and educational institutions that have been red-tagged by the administration.

"Amid the implementation of the Anti-Terrorism Law, the lives of the students and other individuals are at risk as they may be a subject of the state's efforts of 'eradicating terrorism' without due process,"

The group emphasized that schools should be safe spaces for students and letting uniformed personnel enter Universities will not solve the state's problems against its enemies as "real terrorists don't reside in the academic spaces of the youth."

"We should not let history repeat itself. The Filipino youth had once won from militarization and suppression of voices. Once the military takes control of the UP system, the whole education system, including other state universities and private education institutions, will be in danger," it said.

"The youth will defend and protect our schools from state-led military oppression. Progressive thinking and activism do not equate to terrorism, but oppression and abuses from the military and the administration do," it added.