ILOILO City — Human rights group Panay Alliance Karapatan has raised alarm over a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Aklan State University and the Philippine Army’s 82nd Infantry Battalion, warning that the partnership could undermine academic freedom and expose students and faculty to military surveillance and intimidation.
In a press statement dated February 2, Karapatan said that while the reported aim of the MOU is to promote collaboration for “knowledge, peace and development” through education, research, and extension work, universities must pursue such goals “while maintaining their academic freedom and guaranteeing the safety and welfare of their constituents.”
The group accused the Philippine Army of encroaching on civilian and academic spaces under its “whole-of-nation” counterinsurgency approach, saying this threatens spaces meant for critical discourse and engagement with marginalized sectors.
It cited the earlier unilateral withdrawal from the University of the Philippines – Department of National Defense accord as an example of how institutional protections against military intrusion were weakened.
Karapatan further warned that the MOU should be viewed in the context of the Marcos administration’s counterinsurgency framework under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., which it said blurs the line between civilian and military life and risks heightening surveillance, red-tagging, and repression of individuals and organizations critical of state policies.
“This creates a crippling environment for students and personnel who wish to study issues and work on advocacies deemed critical of anti-people state policies,” the group said.
Karapatan called on the parties involved to publicly release the official copy of the MOU and urged university officials to “seriously reconsider” the agreement, stressing the need to defend academic freedom and democratic rights within the university community./PN
