KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Raoul Manuel and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Friday slammed the “book purging” order of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.

“We must exercise and defend academic freedom in schools and libraries to promote Filipino history, language and literature,” Manuel said.

“Huwag katakutan ang mga libro! Itigil ang pagtanggal sa mga ito! Dapat pa nga, ang mga libro tungkol sa Filipino history at mga aralin tungkol dito ay ibinabalik sa curriculum ng high school,” he added.

The lawmaker viewed the KWF’s action as a continuation of the former administration’s legacy of book purging through the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

“We encourage the Filipino youth to take control of our future by taking back our past: ensure accountability by combating historical distortion in schools, libraries, communities and the streets,” he stressed.

Meanwhile, Castro sees the KWF’s order as an intervention to academic freedom.

“Ang mga ideyang sine-censor ay mga kwento at prosa na nagbubukas para sa magbabasa ng critical thinking at nagsasabi ng katotohanan tungkol sa diktadurya ni Marcos at ang kadilimang sinapit ng bansa sa ilalim ng kanyang martial law. Tinuturo nila ang maigting na pangangailangan para magsalita at tumayo para sa kalayan at demokrasya,” Castro said.