CAGAYAN de Oro Second District Representative Rufus Rodriguez filed a bill seeking to strengthen and uphold the freedom of teachers and students to teach, study, and pursue knowledge and research without unreasonable interference or restriction in all higher education institutions.

In his House Bill 9727 or the proposed Academic Freedom Act, Rodriguez stressed that the Constitution ensures that all higher educational institutions are given the freedom to critically think, speak, move, act, and even dissent.

“Ensuring academic freedom is vital to the realization of our societal goals as a democracy. It is through ensuring that academic institutions are free to breed new ideas through dynamic discourse that we can develop as a nation and guarantee the protection of our fundamental rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and association,” Rodriguez said in his explanatory note.

The solon said the bill aims to declare all higher educational institutions whether private or state universities and colleges as freedom spaces where academic freedom is guaranteed.

The bill also recognizes that HEIs can exercise their full acts of ownership over their property.

Hence, coordination and authorization from the school administration are necessary to perform state security operations within the school property.

The bill further requires prior notification in the service of search warrants or warrants of arrest for students.

It also says that in situations of hot pursuit, an emergency, or seeking the assistance of law enforcement agencies, state security agents can enter HEI property.

The measure also seeks to provide for the creation of a joint monitoring committee to ensure proper implementation.