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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
REQUIRING POLICE AND MILITARY PERSONNEL TO 
COORDINATE WITH PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PRIOR 
TO ENTRY IN THE PREMISES THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The role of education in bringing about innovations and social change 
cannot be overemphasized. Its ability to usher a population that is 
empowered, learned, tolerant, and critical has made it an invaluable 
weapon to fight and overcome economic oppression and social injustice. 
Needless to state, the value of education lies in its ability to inspire the 
human spirit to create, envision, engage, challenge, and question. 
Meaningful education, thus, is founded on intellectual liberty, where one 
can openly think, express his thoughts, criticize, disagree, and engage in 
discussions with another in a community of free thinkers.  
It is in this spirit that the framers of our Constitution found it expedient 
to decree in Article XIV, Section 5(2) that “academic freedom shall be 
enjoyed in all institutions of higher learning.” The guarantee of academic 
freedom was intended to foster an environment where learning 
institutions, teachers and students may freely express and discuss ideas 
in pursuit of knowledge; and where criticisms, no matter how scalding, are 
tolerated. The freedom of thought and discussion, thus, necessarily 
entails freedom from retaliation, censorship, interference, or intimidation 
November 7, 2022
8:05 am
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by powerful forces, most especially the State. 
 
 
The proposed law is the State’s formal commitment to upholding 
intellectual integrity and independence in the academe, an assurance 
given to a learning institution, its teachers, students, and the whole of its 
academic community that they are free to pursue knowledge and be 
daring in their ideas, discussions, expressions, and creativity, and that the 
State shall not meet this freedom with undue interference, censorship, 
policing, or intimidation.  
 
 
 
Thus, the limitations in the movement and entry of police and military 
forces in campus premises are intended to avoid the stifling and restrictive 
effect of these State forces’ presence on the exercise of academic 
freedom. They are likewise meant to regulate in general State actions that 
may tend to unduly police or interfere with the constitutionally guaranteed 
right to academic freedom of public learning institutions.  
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is 
earnestly sought. 
 
 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by CIBAC Party-List Representative 
HON. EDUARDO “BRO. EDDIE” C. VILLANUEVA 
AN ACT  
REQUIRING POLICE AND MILITARY PERSONNEL TO 
COORDINATE WITH PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PRIOR 
TO ENTRY IN THE PREMISES THEREOF, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Ligtas 
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at Malayang Campus Act.”  
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State reiterates the 
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Constitutional policy of protecting academic freedom for higher institutions 
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of learning, and ensuring the safety of all students, regardless of academic 
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level, to a safe and free campus. Towards this end, the State shall ensure 
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that faculty members and students are free to engage in academic 
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discussions and debate without fear of censorship and retaliation. The 
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State shall also ensure that faculty members and students are free to 
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express their views, opinions, research conclusions, and other forms of 
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expression, without fear of sanction, unless otherwise prohibited by law. 
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Pursuant to this, the State shall ensure that academic institutions remain 
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to be free from interference from police and military officials, and any entry 
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into the campuses of these institutions shall be coordinated with the 
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officials of the educational institution concerned.  
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SEC. 3. Mandatory Notification. – Prior notice shall be given by 
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the law enforcement agency, such as, but not limited to, the Armed Forces 
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of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), or any other 
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agency intending to conduct operations within the premises of public 
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educational institutions of higher learning in the Philippines, to the 
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administration of the educational institution concerned for proper 
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coordination and to ensure the safety and well-being of the students, 
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faculty, and all stakeholders.  
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Except in cases of hot pursuit and similar occasions of emergency, 
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or if indispensably necessary in the maintenance of security, peace and 
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order as determined by the President, Dean, or other administrative 
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officials of similar rank and authority, no member of the law enforcement 
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agency or any person/s acting on their behalf shall enter the premises of 
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any public educational institution of higher learning.  
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SEC. 4. Mutual Extension of Assistance. – Notwithstanding the 
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foregoing, the police and/or military personnel shall, upon proper 
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notification, request the assistance of the administration of the public 
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educational institution concerned, for the enforcement of the law within its 
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premises. 
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In addition, whenever in the reasonable opinion of the administrator, 
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President or Board of Regents or Trustees or the highest policy- and/or 
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decision-making body of the educational institution concerned, the 
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assistance of the police and/or military is necessary for the maintenance 
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of security, peace, and order within the premises of the educational 
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institution, the nearest police and/or military unit shall promptly dispatch 
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assistance, with properly identified personnel, as may be warranted by the 
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circumstances. In all cases, the request for assistance shall be duly 
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supported by a written request or any appropriate document showing 
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proof of request for assistance.  
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In case the request for assistance is granted, only uniformed 
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members of law enforcement agencies with proper identification shall be 
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allowed entry into the premises of the educational institution concerned, 
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except where the assistance requested specifies otherwise. 
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SEC. 5. Non-interference in peaceful protests or mass 
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gatherings. – Nothing in this Act shall be construed to grant authority to 
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police and military personnel to interfere with peace protests or any kind 
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of mass gatherings inside the premises of the educational institution 
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concerned, and those held outside of its premises by recognized student 
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organizations, for which a prior notification have been made by the group 
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participating in such peaceful protest, except as provided under this Act. 
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The administration of the educational institution concerned shall be 
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deemed responsible for the behavior of students, faculty, and employees 
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in such activities. 
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SEC. 6. Arrest, Detention, and Custodial Investigation. – The 
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service of search warrant, warrant of arrest, or oral or written invitation for 
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questioning and similar purposes on any student, faculty, employee, or 
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invited participants within the territorial jurisdiction or premises of the 
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educational institution or in any official event of a public educational 
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institution of higher learning shall, as far as practicable, be done after prior 
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notification is given to the appropriate official of the educational institution.   
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In case of prior notification, the party serving the warrant shall 
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coordinate closely with the appropriate officers of the educational 
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institution or their duly authorized representatives, who shall accompany 
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and assist them in the service of warrant, or in informing them of the 
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invitation for questioning. In all cases, no warrant shall be served, or 
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invitation for questioning shall be made, without the presence of at least 
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two faculty members of the educational institution concerned.  
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If the giving of prior notification by the party serving the warrant is 
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not practicable, a report shall be submitted to the concerned official of the 
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educational institution immediately, but not later than twenty-four (24) 
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hours, after the service of the warrant.  
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No student, faculty, personnel, or invited guest/s or participant/s in 
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any official activity of the educational institution concerned shall be 
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subjected to custodial investigation without prior notice to the 
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administration of the educational institution concerned. Said custodial 
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investigation shall be conducted in the presence of the counsel of choice 
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of the student, faculty, personnel, or such invited guest/s or participant/s, 
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or with the assistance of counsel who shall be appointed for them by the 
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aforementioned administrative officials.  
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SEC. 7. Public Basic Education Schools. – The provisions of this 
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bill shall also apply to public basic education schools under the jurisdiction 
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of the Department of Education (DepEd), subject to existing laws, rules, 
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and regulations. 
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SEC.8. Continuous Enforcement of Laws. – Nothing herein shall 
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be construed as a prohibition against the enforcement of the laws of the 
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Philippines.  
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SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within forty-five 
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(45) days upon the effectivity of this Act, the Commission on Higher 
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Education (CHED), the DepEd, State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), 
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and other public educational institutions in the Philippines, the Department 
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of National Defense (DND), the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the 
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Philippine National Police, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, 
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including student groups, shall promulgate the necessary rules and 
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regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
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 SEC. 10. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is 
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declared invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain 
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valid. 
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 SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. – All laws, proclamations, executive 
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orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are 
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hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly: Provided, That no 
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person shall be deemed to be vested with any property or other right by 
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virtue of the enactment or operation of this Act. 
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 SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
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days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) 
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national newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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