The University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law has condemned claims that enemies of the Duterte administration are out to take over the college with the appointment of its new dean.

In a statement issued Friday, Feb. 5,  the UP College of Law scored a commentary published in a national daily on Feb. 3 alleging that critics of President Duterte want to take control of the college through the appointment of the next college dean.

“The commentary is an unwarranted and offensive attack that not only sullies and casts doubt upon the personalities of the four candidates currently being considered for the position of Dean of the UP College of Law, but also upon the professionalism and track record of the entire faculty,” the UP Law said in a statement, which was unanimously signed by its faculty members.

The college deemed the opinion piece as an “unacceptable insult to the independence of the UP Law Faculty and a blatant attempt to invite unabashed political interference in a selection process for academic leadership.”

UP Law emphasized that the selection process for the next dean should be based purely on academic credentials, management experience and competence, professionalism and collegiality, and community within the college and with the UP system.

In the commentary, it claimed that the election of the next UP Law dean “is a very important strategic consideration for the Duterte administration,” following the abrogation of the pact between the UP and the Department of Defense due to allegations of communist recruitment within the university.

The college noted the four candidates for Dean—namely Elizabeth Aguilang-Pangalangan, Jay L. Batongbacal, Sandra Marie O. Coronel, and Edgardo Carlo L. Vistan, II—have their respective unique qualities and qualifications that collegial body respect and accept.

“We affirm our commitment to independence from political interference and influence from any quarter, and to the ultimate objectives of the UP College of Law of teaching in The Grand Manner to guide the finest learning and practice of law to the end that we may achieve distributive justice, a just and humane society, the protection and advancement of human rights, and the highest standards of public service for the Filipino people, all under the Rule of Law,” read the statement.