THE PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday welcomed the Department of National Defense’s (DND) decision to terminate its 1989 accord with the University of the Philippines (UP) that prevented police and military presence in UP campuses.
In a statement, the PCG said the abrogation of the accord will lead to “stronger and more responsible collaboration” in a broad range of activities towards nation-building.
“The PCG believes the cessation of the 1989 UP-DND accord that firewalled the country's premier source of world-class talents and leaders does not mean an end to responsible academic freedom, but simply signals that observance of equity in roles and equality in rules by all has come to time,” the PCG said.
It noted that allowing police and military personnel inside school campuses is a basic social contract that “applies to all”.
“This gesture in a mature democracy should open more opportunities for more effective collaboration between the academe and the uniformed services in the Philippines,” the PCG said.
On Monday, Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the department will await a formal request for adjudication from concerned parties before it rules on the termination of the UP-DND accord.
Earlier, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff, Gen. Gilbert Gapay said the DND-UP accord was a violation of the equal protection clause under the 9187 Constitution, noting the UP enjoyed privileges that placed it in an “unfair advantaged status” over other academic institutions. (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)
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