NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
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of (Ije i^pcvctai-j>
*22 JUL 18 P4 57
SENATE 
S. B. NO. 737
RHCEiVtD B'J:
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 1989 UNIVERSITY OF THE 
PHILIPPINES - DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE ACCORD, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9500, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
CHARTER OF 2008, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
No less trian the Supreme Court has recognized the importance of ensuring 
peace and security in learning institutions. In Philippine School of Business 
Administration v. Court of Appeals,1 the Court emphasized that:
“Institutions of learning must also meet the implicit or built-in obligation 
of providing their students with an atmosphere that promotes or assists 
in attaining its primary undertaking of imparting knowledge. Certainly, 
no student can absorb the intricacies of physics or higher mathematics 
or explore the realm of the arts and other sciences when bullets are 
flying or grenades exploding in the air or where there looms around the 
school premises a constant threat to life and limb. Necessary, the 
school must ensure that adequate steps are taken to maintain peace 
and order within the campus premises and to prevent the breakdown 
thereof.”
The University of the Philippines system is composed of eight constituent 
universities located in 17 campuses all over the Philippines - UP Diliman, UP Los 
Banos, UP Manila, UP Visayas, UP Open University, UP Mindanao, UP Baguio, and 
UP Cebu - collectively, the country’s national university.
The impact and influence of the University of the Philippines in the country 
cannot be denied. In its 114 years of existence, its community of professionals in 
various fields of study has made not only the institution, but also our country, proud of 
their countless contributions to Philippine development and nation-building. To date.
1 G.R. No. 84698, February 4, 1992.


the National University has produced at least 39 National Scientists, 44 National 
Artists, 8 National Social Scientists, 7 out of the 16 Presidents of the Republic, 15 
Chief Justices of the Supreme Court, and generations of graduates in various fields 
embodying the institution’s signature brand of excellence.2
Indeed, the UP community thrives because it has always been a citadel of 
excellence, a marketplace of ideas, and a vanguard of independent thought. 
Nonetheless, historically, the institution’s students, faculty, and personnel had been 
targeted for the exercise of their political beliefs. One of the incidences that 
necessitated the signing of the UP-DND Accord on June 30, 1989, was the abduction 
of Mr. Donato Continente — a messenger of the UP Collegian — who was abducted 
inside the UP Diliman campus by the police for the alleged killing of US Army Officer, 
Col. James Rowe.3
To ensure that UP continues to enjoy unimpeded and unrestrained academic 
freedom, this bill seeks the institutionalization of the 1989 UP-DND Accord through its 
incorporation in Republic Act No. 9500, or the “University of the Philippines Charter of 
2008.”
This measure provides for the following:
1. Prior notification by law enforcement agencies or person/s acting on their behalf 
must be given to University officials if they intend to conduct operations within 
the premises of the national university nationwide, including its constituent 
universities:
2. Law enforcement agencies cannot enter the premises of any UP campus, 
except in cases of hot pursuit and similar occasions of emergency, or if 
determined by the University officials as indispensably necessary in the 
maintenance of security, peace and order;
3. Service and execution of warrants on any student, faculty, or personnel, or 
invited guests or participants in official activities of the University must be in 
accordance with the Rules of Court and subject to prior coordination with 
University officials, as far as practicable;
4. Student, faculty, personnel, or invited guest/s or participants in official school 
activities cannot be subjected to arrest, detention, or custodial investigation 
without prior notice to University officials;
5. Law enforcement agencies must not interfere with the peaceful protest actions 
by individuals or groups within the premises of the University, and if held outside 
of the University, as long as prior notifications have been;
6. The security, police, and firefighting capabilities of each constituent university 
must be strengthened to prevent its campuses from being exploited by criminal
2 University of the Philippines, Emerging Excellence: UP in the Past 114 Years, accessible at https://up.edu.ph/universitv-historv/. 
\l3st dccBssGu July 7, 2022).
3 U.nJverf!ty of_th® Phll|PPines' The 1989 UP-DND Accord: Content and Context, accessible at https://law.uDd.edu.ph/facultv- 
portfolio/the-IQSQrj^dnd-accord-coritent-ano-context/. >last accessed July 7, 2022).


elements. If necessary, campus security groups can assist law enforcement 
agencies to ensure law and order on the campuses;
7. A Joint Monitoring Group and constituent university-based joint monitoring 
groups must be established to monitor compliance with the provisions of the 
proposed measure.
Rather than a ‘do not enter sign,” this bill lays down the guidelines on the 
conduct of operations by law enforcement agencies - highlighting the necessity for 
prior notification and coordination by law enforcement agencies with university 
officials. This is consistent with the guarantee of academic freedom in institutions of 
higher learning as enshrined in our Constitution.
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
SENATOR Jp£L VILLANfUEVA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
isEuatr
of tljf £'rr.■ftni'p
SENATE 
s.B. No.
■22 JUL 18 P4 57
RrCEi'.'ED B','.
Introduced by SENATOR JOEL VILLANUEVA
AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 1989 UNIVERSITY OF THE 
PHILIPPINES - DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE ACCORD, 
AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9500, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES, 
CHARTER OF 2008, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
SECTION 1. A new Section 11-A is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11-A. Prior notification on the Entry of Law Enforcement 
Agencies within the Premises of the National University. - Prior 
notification shall be given by the law enforcement agency, such as, but 
not limited to, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the 
Philippine National Police (PNP), or any other agency intending to 
conduct operations within the premises of the national university 
nationwide, to the President of the University, or the Chancellor of the 
constituent university, or the Dean of the regional unit concerned, or 
their respective officers-in-ctiarge, in the event of their absence, when 
the situation so warrants.
SEC. 2. A new Section 11-B is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11-B. Prohibition on the Entry of Law Enforcement Agency 
Personnel Within the Premises of the National University. - Except in 
cases of hot pursuit and similar occasions of emergency, or if 
indispensably necessary in the maintenance of security, peace and 
order as determined by the President of the University, or Chancellor 
of the constituent university, or the Dean of the regional unit concerned, 
or their respective officers-in-charge in the event of their absence, no’ 
member of a law enforcement agency or any person/s acting on their 
behalf shall enter the premises of the national university.


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Whenever requested by law enforcers, the appropriate university 
officials shall extend the necessary assistance in law enforcement 
within the premises of the campuses.
Whenever the President of the University, or the Chancellor of the 
constituent university, or the Dean of the regional unit concerned, or 
their respective officers-in-charge in the event of their absence, 
determines that the assistance of the AFP, the PNP, or other law 
enforcement agency is indispensable to the maintenance of security 
and peace and order within the university premises, the said official 
shall so inform in writing tiie head of the AFP, PNP, or other law 
enforcement agency unit in the area, and the latter shall promptly 
dispatch such assistance as may be warranted by the circumstances.
In case the request for assistance is granted, only uniformed members 
of the AFP, PNP, or other law enforcement agencies in proper uniform 
and with proper identification shall be allowed entry into the campus or 
regional unit concerned, except where the assistance requested 
specifies otherwise.
SEC. 3. A new Section 11-C is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11-C. Service and Execution of Warrants. - The service or 
execution of search, arrest, deportation, or any other warrant on any 
student, faculty, or personnel, regardless of their status of enrollment, 
en9a9ement or arrangement, and/or invited guests or participants in 
any official activity, shall be in accordance with the rules and 
regulations promulgated by the Supreme Court or other appropriate 
government agency, as may be applicable, and as far as practicable, 
with prior notification to the President of the University, or the 
Chancellor of the constituer.t university, or the Dean of the regional 
unit concerned, or their respective officers-in-charge in the event of 
their absence. The same requirement of notification applies to any oral 
or written invitation for questioning or similar purposes.
In case of prior notification, the party serving or executing the warrant 
shall coordinate closely with members of the campus security group 
who shall accompany and assist such party in the service or execution 
of the warrants. Similarly, no warrant shall be served or executed 
without the presence of at least two (2) University faculty members 
designated by the appropriate University official.
If prior notification is not practicable, a report on the same shall be 
submitted to the concerned University official immediately, but not later 
than twenty-four (24) hours after such unsuccessful attempt.
SEC. 4. A new Section 11-D is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11-D. Arrest, Detention, and Custodial Investigations. — The 
arrest or detention anywhere in the Philippines of any student, faculty, 
or personnel, or invited guests or participants in any official activity 
shall be reported immediately by the responsible head of the law 
enforcement agency effecting the arrest or detention to the President


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of the University, or the Chancellor of the constituent university, or the 
Dean of the regional unit concerned, or their respective officers-in- 
charge in the event of their absence, who shall then take the necessary 
action. The same prior notification applies to any oral or written 
“invitation” for questioning or similar purposes.
No student, faculty, personnel, or such invited guest/s or participant/s 
referred to shall be subjected to custodial investigation without prior 
notice to the President of the University, or the Chancellor of the 
constituent university, or the Dean of the regional unit concerned, or 
their respective officers-in charge in the event of their absence: 
Provided, That said custodial investigation shall be conducted in the 
presence of the counsel of choice of the student, faculty, personnel, or 
such invited guest/s or participant/s, or with the assistance of counsel 
who shall be appointed for them by the aforementioned officials.
SEC. 5. A new Section 11-E is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11-E. Prohibition on the AFP, PNP, and Other Law Enforcement 
Agencies to Interfere with Peaceful Protest Actions. - Members of the 
AFP, PNP, or other law enforcement agencies shall not interfere with 
the peaceful protest actions by individuals or groups within the 
premises of the national university and those held outside of its 
premises by recognized student organizations, for which a prior 
notification have been made by the group participating in such 
peaceful protest. University officials shall be deemed responsible for 
the behavior of their students, faculty, and employees in such activities.
SEC, 6. A new Section 11-F is hereby inserted to read as follows:
SEC. 11 -F. Strengthening or the National University’s Security, Police, 
and Firefighting Capabilities. — University officials shall endeavor to 
strengthen the security, crime response and prevention, and 
firefighting capabilities of the national university to prevent its 
campuses from being exploited by malefactors or criminal elements.
University officials and the officials of security forces in the campuses, 
such as the campus security group, shall strive to coordinate closely, 
efficiently, and harmoniously with the law enforcement agencies to 
ensure the safety of students, faculty, and personnel of the national 
university, invited guests and participants in official activities, as well 
as the residents of the campuses.
The security forces in the cainpuses shall engage in joint training and 
enhance the sharing of information and other resources with the law 
enforcement agencies to combat crime and help ensure law and order 
on the campuses.
The university security forces shall report, as soon as possible, all 
crimes committed within the campuses to the PNP and render the 
necessary assistance to ensure the prosecution of criminals.
SEC. 7. A new Section 11-G Is hereby inserted to read as follows:


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SEC. 11-G. Establishment of the Joint Monitoring Group and 
Constituent University-Based and Regional Unit-Based Joint 
Monitoring Groups. — There shall be established a national university 
Joint Monitoring Group, which shall be composed of the Vice- 
President for Public Affairs or his duly designated representative, 
Faculty Regent, Staff Regent, Student Regent, one (1) University 
alumnus, and the following government officials: the Undersecretary 
of National Defense for Civilian Relations, AFP Judge Advocate 
Genera! or his representat've, the PNP Assistant Chief of Staff for 
Operations, the PNP Director of the Civil Security Group. The alumnus 
shall be appointed by the members of the Joint Monitoring Group.
There shall likewise be established, in each constituent university and 
regional unit, joint monitoring groups, which shall include the 
Chancellor of the constituent university or the Dean of the regional unit, 
or their respective officers-iri-charge in the event of their absence, one 
(1) representative each from the students, faculty, personnel group in 
the concerned unit, and one (1) alumnus, to be appointed by the 
members of the respective joint monitoring groups. Constituent 
university-based and regional unit-based joint monitoring groups shall 
provide regular reports to the national university Joint Monitoring 
Group regarding compliance with the provisions of this Act.
The Joint Monitoring Group shall meet at least twice a year to ensure 
and determine compliance with the provisions of this Act.
SEC. S. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, upon consultation with relevant stakeholders, the members of the 
Joint Monitoring Group shall formulate the rules and regulations for the effective 
implementation of this Act.
SEC- 9- Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section, clause, or term of 
this Act is held to be illegal, invalid, or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such 
declaration shall remain in full force and effect.
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, issuances, executive 
orders, letters of instruction, rules and regulations or any part hereof inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
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Effectivity- - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days its publication in
the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation, whichever 
comes earlier.
Approved,