The student regent and central student council of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) pushed back on the move of a youth party-list representative calling for the termination of an agreement barring State forces in their school.
PUP Student Regent Ellenor Bartolome and Central Student Council President Jonero Dacula submitted Wednesday a position paper to the office of Duterte Youth party-list Rep. Ducielle Cardema against the impending termination of the accord between the State university and the Department of National Defense (DND).
They issued the document after Cardema issued a statement urging the DND to also revoke its pact with the PUP following the unilateral abrogation of the department's accord with another State university, the University of the Philippines (UP).
In the three-page position paper signed by Bartolome and Dacula, they said Cardema's pronouncement "will only stem into a greater threat to the safety, security, and well-being of the Iskolars ng Bayan."
"Academic freedom is the lifeline of every Iskolars ng Bayan – in order to shed a brighter light to the nation. It allows our students to go beyond the endeavors of life and surpass the conventions," they said.
"For so long, the University has provided a safe zone for highly nurtured learners anchored in the social realities of the world through the exercise of critical thinking in the academe," it added.
The student representatives called on Congress to protect the welfare and security of the youth through creating a resolution opposing the unilateral termination of the UP-DND and PUP-DND accord.
They urged the DND to hold a dialogue with the PUP and UP regarding the 30-year agreements "to preserve the common aspirations for peace, justice, and freedom in the country."
Congress was also asked to review and revive the Magna Carta of Students and other existing laws for the youth to ensure their protection against any forms of harassment and lawless abuse.
"We further reiterate that schools shall be protected from the utilitarian laws of the government and all measures of immediate intervention shall be made by the congress to secure the future and interest of the Filipino youth," they added.
The PUP-DND accord or the "Prudente-Ramos" accord was signed in August 1990 by then PUP President Nemesio Prudente and then DND Secretary Fidel Ramos.
Under this agreement, State forces and operations are prohibited from entering and being conducted in the university premises without notifying the PUP president first.