UP Diliman (UPD) community and student leaders expressed concerns on the impending new security measures and potential Philippine National Police (PNP) engagements on campus, following the UPD administration’s plans to tighten campus security.
This came after a UPD student was sexually assaulted on Ylanan Street near the College of Human Kinetics on July 1. The incident prompted the UPD administration to review its existing campus security protocols. The perpetrator of the incident remains free.
“Pinapahawakan nga ng UP na may UPD police tayo, pero sa mga komunidad kulang pa. Malaki kasi ang UP campus, madilim pa sa mga ibang areas at marami rin mga tao na pumapasok sa campus,” said Angelica Cayabyab, the alliance officer of Kariton ng Maralita Network, an alliance of urban poor communities in UPD.
The security of the university is under the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs. The security and safety of the university is headed by the Public Safety and Security Office, under which are the UPD Police (UPDP) and the Special Service Brigade (SSB).
The lack of security personnel is not the only concern of UP constituents.
Budgetary constraints have led to a measly 19 active members of the UPDP. The Collegian reported last year that UPD had security challenges with the personnel shortage of UPDP and SSB due to low compensation and shortage of plantilla items.
“It is also important to note na dapat iemphasize ang pagkukulang ng mga UPD police personnel. May kahirapan din tayo magkaroon ng implementation ng security dahil sa kakulangan sa budget,” outgoing UPD University Student Council Chairperson Latrell Felix said.
Felix said the university does not need to strengthen ties with the PNP as the university has its own police to protect and secure the university and its constituents.
The UPDP was established in 1989 following the signing of the agreement between UP and the Department of National Defense (DND) which barred the Armed Forces of the Philippines from entering UP without prior notification to university officials. The pact was unilaterally scrapped by DND in 2021.
Strengthening UP’s ties with the PNP was an idea floated by Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Prospero de Vera, following the sexual assault incident last month.
“I don't agree with the strengthening our relationship with PNP, dahil una hindi tayo ligtas pag nandito o kasama natin mga kapulisan. Hindi sapat na para maging ligtas ang UP ay mag-coordinate tayo sa PNP, dahil sila rin ay threat sa ating security,” Felix said.
Felix said that the entry of the PNP on campus should be seen as a security threat as the PNP is known to red-tag and threaten UP students.
The Defend UP Network, a group that seeks to defend the university against campus militarization, reported 46 cases of PNP personnel entry in UPD for the academic year 2021-2022. Last July, a PNP convoy was found roaming the campus before the State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Vistan said in an interview with ABS-CBN News that the UPD administration is planning to install more closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on campus following the incident, while acknowledging that his administration is aware of the “big brother” concern of the university community.
For Cayabyab, however, the installation of CCTV cameras can only do so much. She stressed that the UPD administration must include all the university’s sectors in crafting additional and better campus security protocols.
“Malaki ang UP campus at marami ring tao ang pumapasok sa campus. Sa UP kasi hindi lang estudyante [ang] may safety concerns, pati rin mga ibang komunidad sa kampus,” Cayabyab said. ●
