Press Release
May 24, 2022

De Lima alarmed over harassment of UP Mindanao students, teachers following red-tagging incident

Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima expressed alarm over reports that students, faculty and staff of the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao are being harassed following allegation that there is recruitment for the New People's Army in the campus.

De Lima, a social justice and human rights champion, said she finds the move by the National Security Council (NSC) to amplify the allegation of a supposed alumnus of the university through social media as "uncalled for."

"The NCS's move to use its social media to share a report about the alleged recruitment of NPA in UP Mindanao, which is yet to be proven, is uncalled for as it did more harm than good," she said.

"We support the fight against insurgency, but not at the expense of the safety of innocent individuals, including teachers, staff and students, who are now reportedly experiencing harassment on the ground and on social media because of the recent red-tagging incident," she added.

A supposed alumnus of the said State University alleged, through Facebook, that there is "active recruitment in UP campuses."

The said statement has since been shared in a social media post made by the NSC, which is linked to an article published by the state-owned Philippine News Agency.

UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao reportedly said that the accusation caused distress to students and staff who have been put at risk.

Following the harassment incident, De Lima urged the government to protect the students and staff of UP Mindanao and other red-tagged campuses.

"Merely sharing the content online will not prove any allegations of supposed recruitment. Tigilan na ang kultura ng dahas, panghaharass at red-tagging. Tigilan na ang mga paratang na walang sapat na basehan, na hindi lang nakasisira ng integridad ng tao o institusyon, kundi naglalagay din sa peligro ng buhay ng mga inosenteng nadadamay o sadyang dinadamay," she said.

"I also urge the NSC to thoroughly investigate this allegation, to prove if it is indeed true and bring the perpetrators to justice, or issue public clarification if proven otherwise," she added.

In February 2021, De Lima filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 628 urging Congress to investigate the instances of red-tagging of University of the Philippines (UP) alumni by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) following the unilateral abrogation of the 1989 UP-Department of National Defense (UP-DND) accord.

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