PNP seeks cooperation of academe to protect students

August 27, 2019

The Philippine National Police ( PNP) sought cooperation from the academe in protecting campuses against violence and "shadowy organizations" that promotes communist armed conflict against the government.


PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde had a dialogue on Tuesday with Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano, Commission on Higher Education chair Prospero de Vera and officers and representatives of different universities in Manila.


"We just concluded an informal and exploratory dialogue among representatives from the government security sector and the academe as confidence-building measure to foster better understanding on pressing national issues," Albayalde said in a press conference.


Among those discussed during the dialogue was the PNP's role in keeping campuses safe while considering the academic freedom of students. This pertains to the police presence in schools and universities in Manila to prevent crime, exploitation, and abuse.


"For our part in the security sector, PNP seeks to build stronger collaboration among stakeholders employing the 'Whole of Nation' approach and protect campuses against criminal activities, drug syndicates, and shadowy organizations that promote and espouse local communist armed conflict against government thru force and violence," he said.


"We assure the public and the academe community that we will do our best to fulfill our sworn duty, to serve and to protect," Albayalde added.


The Senate committee on public order and safety, headed by Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, held a hearing on alleged recruitment by leftist groups of minors.  Cristina Eloisa Baclig/DMS