MANIFESTATION/ EXPLANATION OF ABSTENTION
On Proposed Senate Resolution 616 (DND-UP Accord)

Mr. President, please allow me to state for the record my support for the abrogation of the 1989 Agreement between the University of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense. Such move is intended to protect the youth from the snares of communism and its empty promises.

Ginoong Pangulo, ang kapulisan at ang militar ay iisa sa layunin na protektahan ang ating kabataan. Hindi kailanman ninanais ng kapulisan at militar na mag hasik ng kaguluhan at takot sa loob ng paaralan.

It is a sad reality that the CPP / NPA took undue advantage of the 1989 Agreement between UP and DND. With this protective mantle, this leftist group randomly recruited young and brilliant students from this premier University to be members of their organization, and served as its juvenile frontliners in fighting the government.

Sa loob ng tatlongpu't isang taon, (31 years), napakinabangan ng lubos ng mga CPP/NPA ang 1989 Agreement na ito na nag hantong sa pag hikayat ng maraming estudyanteng maging miyembro ng armadong komunista. Ang nakalulungkot, marami sa mga estudyante ng UP ay napatay sa ibat-ibang enkwentro sa kabundukan, sa kagustuhan nilang ipaglaban ang baluktot na paniniwala at pilosopiya ng komunismo.

I have known UP as a fertile ground that cultivates free thinking. It encourages ideas coming from the left, right or center. It welcomes wide range of discourses that redound to the welfare of the youth. I am quite puzzled now why they are resisting ideologies from the right and center of the political spectrum.

For the record, I am not anti-UP, I am anti-CPP-NPA-NDF. I respect UP as breeding ground for the best and brightest minds that this country has produced. I admire UP for producing the likes of former President Ferdinand Marcos, Jose P. Laurel, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado Macapagal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and even including CPP founder Joma Sison. Huwag na po tayong lumayo, dito sa Senado, karamihan sa ating mga magagaling na kasamahan ay galing sa UP, sina Senator Pangilinan, Binay, Angara, Poe, Gordon, Pimentel, Cayetano, Villar, ang ating Majority Floor Leader and my kababayan, Senator Migz Zubiri, our Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Recto at ang dating Justice and Labor Secretary, now Minority Leader, Senator Franklin Drilon na kung saan marami akong natutunan sa paggawa ng batas dahil sa kanyang kagalingan.

My decision for not supporting the proposed resolution should not be interpreted that I am against UP. My vote and this manifestation are a testament of my lifelong battle against the ideologies of CPP-NPA. I cannot think of any benefits for our country for their existence. Many police officers and military personnel have been killed in the hands of this communist-terrorist group. Also, they have been one of the reasons why we have not yet achieved the full economic growth for the country.

Ang presensya ng pulis o militar, kung kailangan, sa loob ng kampus ay hindi para kitilin ang academic freedom sa Pamantasan ng Pilipinas. Ang malayang pagpapahayag ng saloobin at isipan ng ating mga estudyante ay patuloy na binibigyang halaga at nirerespeto ng lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno. Ngunit kailangan din bantayan na hindi mapasok ng mga taong may makakaliwang pilosopiya ang naturang paaralan para di na makapag hikayat pa ng kabataan na maliligaw ng landas tungo sa komunismo. As we have mentioned in our Committee Report No. 10 that reported out our resolution to investigate the missing minors who are allegedly recruited by leftist groups: "The right of the student sector to voice out their sentiments, opinions and beliefs, and to participate in legitimate organizations, are well within the Constitutional boundaries. It is in fact guaranteed by the Highest Law of the land which encourages the youth "involvement in public and civic affairs." There is a need, however, to scrutinize the activities of the youth, specially the student sector, be it inside or outside the campus, so as to ensure their security, safety and well-being."

With the encouraging presence of the police and the military in UP, these young scholars may also be encouraged to serve their country as members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and other law enforcement agencies. Lalong-lalo na ngayon doon sa balita na ipinahayag ng ating colleague na si Senator Tolentino about the threat coming from China. Hindi lamang sa UP, kundi sa lahat ng paaralan sa ating bansa. With this in mind, I guarantee that your police force and military are at your service to protect and defend our young people from the abyss of communism and its deceptive ideology.

Maraming Salamat, Mr. President.