EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2014
. January 25 2021 riT
08:00 am
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 1989 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (UP) - 
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (DND) ACCORD, AMENDING FOR 
THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9500, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES CHARTER OF 2008, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Since its establishment in 1908, the University of the Philippines (UP) has always 
been a major contributor in Philippine development and nation-building. It has 
produced our country's top political, legal, business, economic, civic, and scientific 
leaders, both past and present, through its uncompromising academic standards and an 
unwavering thrust towards academic excellence. UP owes this success to the 
environment conducive to academic freedom - the freedom to critically think, speak, 
move, act, and even dissent - that all its stakeholders, including the students, faculty, 
staff, administration, and alumni, seek to protect and cultivate.
up's enjoyment of academic freedom was tested during the Martial Law regime. 
Back then, the military and police were free to enter the campus. Students were arrested 
for simply speaking out against the dictator. In 1982, student leader Sonia Soto and 
then-defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile signed an agreement "to protect students from 
the police and military presence in schools intended to suppress dissent and protest 
actions.1 The Soto-Enrile Accord was the predecessor of the 1989 Accord signed 
between UP and the Department of National Defense (DND) days after the arrest of 
Donato Continente, a Philippine Collegian staffer, by the military and police at Vinzons 
Hall.
The 1989 Accord sought to regulate military and police presence in any UP campus 
by: (a) requiring prior notification on the entry of military and police units in any UP 
campus; (b) prohibiting entry in any UP campus, except in cases of hot pursuit, similar 
occasions of emergency, or if indispensably necessary in the maintenance of security.
' https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/things-to-know-1989-up-dnd-accord
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peace and order, as may be determined by UP officials; (c) adding safeguards on service 
of search or arrest warrants; (d) requiring law enforcement agencies to report arrests, 
detentions, and custodial investigations of UP students, faculty, or persormel to UP 
officials; and (e) prohibiting law enforceihent agencies to interfere with peaceful protest 
actions.
On 18 January 2021, however, the DND unilnlerally terminated the 1989 Accord 
without prior consultation from UP or its stakeholders. This unilateral termination, 
according to the DND, was in pursuit of "true national peace and development" with a 
view to "protecting and securing the institution and youth against the enemies of the 
Filipino people."2 The DND, however, did not explain how the 1989 Accord hindered 
the mandate of the military and police. UP President Danilo L. Concepcion, in his 
statement, responded that the uiiilateral abrogation sows "more confusion and mistrust, 
given that [the DND] have not specified what it is that [the DND] exactly aim[s] to do 
or put in place in lieu of the protections and courtesies afforded by the agreement."3
UP President Concepcion says that the university "reject[s] any form or semblance 
of militarization on our campuses, which will have a chilling effect deleterious to 
academic freedom."4 UP, through academic freedom, has both bred rebels and non­
conformists on one hand and presidents, senators, representatives, and even military 
leaders. Police and military authorities should have no fear of academic freedom 
because "[a]ll the world's great universities have produced the same range of thinkers 
and doers."5
Indeed, in order to sustain its success, UP should continuously enjoy unimpeded 
and unrestrained academic freedom. The 1989 Accord is instrumental in protecting 
up's academic freedom. This proposed measure seeks to legislate the 1989 Accord by 
amending Republic Act No. 9500 or "The University of the Philippines Charter of 2008" 
to incorporate the provisions of the 1989 Accord.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
FRANCIS N.TANGILINAN
2 DND's letter addressed to UP President Daiulo L. Concepcion dated 15 January 2021.
3https://www.up.edu.ph/protect-academic-freedom-up-president-danilo-l<oncepcion-responds-to-dnds-
unilateral-abrogation-of-the-up-dnd-accord/?fbclid=’IwAR0vOWV-arG2xglFrWNGHmZbiq05RJ7Z-.
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2


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
Second Regular Session 
)
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2014
08:00 am
. 6tLLCVa>lNDEX
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN
AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE 1989 UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES (UP) - 
DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (DND) ACCORD, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9500, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE UNIVERSITY 
OF THE PHILIPPINES CHARTER OF 2008, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 SECTION 1. A new Section 11-A is hereby inserted to read as follows:
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"SEC. 11-A. Prior Notification on the entry of Police and Military Units 
in All UP Campuses. - Prior notification shall be given by the Armed 
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), die Philippine National Police (PNP), or 
any other law enforcement agency intending to conduct any military, 
police, or law enforcement operations in any U.P. campus nationwide to 
the U.P. President 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, when the situation so warrants."
10 SEC. 2. A new Section 11-B is hereby inserted to read as follows:
"SEC. 11-B. Prohibition on the Entry of AFP, PNP, and Other Law 
Enforcement Agency Personnel in all UP Campuses. - 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 U.P. President, or Chancellor of the constituent university, or Dean 
of the regional unit concerned, or their respective officers-in-charge in the 
event of their absence, no member of the AFP, the PNP, or other law 
enforcement agencies shall enter the premises of any of the U.P. campuses 
or regional units.
Whenever requested by law enforcers, the appropriate U.P. officials shall 
extend the necessary assistance in law enforcement within the U.P. 
premises.
Whenever the U.P. President, or Chancellor of the constituent university, 
or Dean of the regional unit concerned, or their respective officers-in- 
charge in the event of their absence, is of the opinion that the assistance of


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the AFP or the PNP or other law enforcement agency is indispensable to 
the maintenance of security, peace, and order within U.P. premises, the 
said U.P. official shall so inform in writing the 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 agency with proper identification 
shall be allowed entry into the campus or regional unit concerned, except 
where the assistance requested specifies otherwise."
11 SEC. 3. A new Section 11-C is hereby inserted to read as follows:
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"SEC. 11-C. Limitation on the Service of Search or Arrest Warrants. - 
The service of search or arrest warrants within the territorial 
jurisdiction of any U.P. campus on any U.P. student faculty, employee 
or invited participants in any official U.P. activity, as far as practicable, 
be done after prior notification is given to the U.P. President, or 
Chancellor of the constituent university, or 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 the warrant shall 
coordinate closely with members of the U.P. police or security who 
shall accompany and assist them in the service of the warrants. 
Similarly, no warrant shall be served without the presence of at least 
two (2) U.P. faculty members designated by the appropriate U.P. 
official.
If the giving of prior notification by the party serving the warrant is 
not practicable, a report shall be submitted to the concerned U.P. 
official immediately, but not later than twenty-four (24) hours after the 
service of the warrant."
31 SEC. 4. A new Section 11-D is hereby inserted to read as follows:
"SEC. 11-D. Limitations on the Arrest, Detention, and Custodial 
Investigations of U.P Students, Faailtij, or Personnel. - The arrest or 
detention of any U.P. student, faculty, or personnel anywhere in the 
Philippines shall be reported immediately by the responsible head of 
the AFP, PNP, or other law enforcement agency unit effecting the 
arrest or detention to the U.P. President, or Chancellor of the 
constituent university, or 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.
No U.P. student, faculty, or employee shall be subjected to custodial 
investigation without, as far as practicable, prior notice to the U.P.


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President, or Chancellor of the constituent university, or Dean of the 
regional unit concerned, or their respective officers-in-charge in the 
event of their absence, and except in the presence of the counsel of 
choice of the student, faculty, or employee, or with the assistance of 
counsel appointed for them by the aforementioned U.P. officials."
6 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 
peaceful protest actions by individuals or groups within U.P. premises. 
U.P. officials shall be deemed responsible for the behavior of their 
students, faculty, and employees in such activities."
13 SEC. 6. A new Section 11-F is hereby inserted to read as follows:
"SEC. 11-F. Strengthening of U.P.'s Security, Police, and Fire-fighting 
Capabilities. - U.P. officials shall endeavor to strengthen U.P.'s own 
security, police, and fire-fighting capabilities to prevent its campuses 
from being exploited by malefactors or criminal elements."
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SEC. 7. A new Section 11-G is hereby inserted to read as follows:
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"SEC. 11-G. Establishment of a Joint Monitoring Group. - A Joint
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Monitoring Group shall be established composed of the U.P. Faculty
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Regent, the U.P. Student Regent, the U.P. Vice-President or Public
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Affairs or his representative, the U.P. Vice Chancellor for Student
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Affairs, the Undersecretary of National Defense for Civilian Relations,
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thePNP Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations, the PNP Director of the
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Civil Security Group, and the AFP Judge Advocate General or his
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representative. The Joint Monitoring Group shall meet at least twice a
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year to ensure and determine compliance with Sections 11-A to 11-F."
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SEC. 8. Separability Clause. - If any part or provision of this Act shall be declared
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unconstitutional and invalid, such declaration shall not invalidate other parts thereof
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which shall remain in full force and effect.
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SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, administrative orders, and rules
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and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
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SEC. 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
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publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,