PNP seeks ”civil and healthy” dialogue with students

August 26, 2019

The Philippine National Police ( PNP) on Monday said a "civil and healthy" dialogue with students is  what they want to address the possible infiltration of campuses by criminal and terrorist elements.

"A civil and healthy dialogue is precisely what we want," said Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, in a statement.

  "The PNP does not intend to encroach on academic freedom. However, our call for access to campuses will remain," he added.

Banac said they just wants to listen and engage with students in healthy discussion on peace and order, criminality, illegal drugs, cybercrimes, cyberlibel, online scams, disaster response, sexual harassment, rape, violence against women and children, love of family, respect for parents and teachers, responsible citizenship, love of country, other topics that concern the welfare of the youth. 

"And how we can serve them best," he said.

He said if acceptable with school authorities and once they reach a mutual agreement, the PNP wants to increase police visibility enough to deter criminal or drug syndicates from preying on students.

"All for the greater good of national priorities to enforce the law, ensure student and public safety and  to End Local Communist Armed Conflict which is also paramount; and protecting students from possible illegal activities is the duty of the police," he said.

Banac reiterated that they do not have any problem with student activism, but when student activities already border on what the law provides, "the PNP is duty bound to intervene".

"We believe that police presence in school is deterrent to possible infiltration of campuses by criminal and terrorist elements," Banac said.

The PNP made the statement after UP Rises Against Tyranny and Dictatorship, an alliance in the UP System, alongside the UP Office of the Student Regent, and UP Diliman University Student Council invited Senator Ronald dela Rosa and other proponents of his proposal, to debate on the matter inside their campus in the spirit of academic freedom.

“If they are truly insistent in their proposal, then we can sit down and talk through a public avenue like this. Leave their arms outside, and we can talk,” UP Student Regent Isaac Punzalan said in a statement. Ella Dionisio/DMS