SENATOR Leila de Lima urged the Senate to investigate the reported removal of books, pamphlets, research work and any reading material considered by the government as subversive from the libraries of state universities.

In her Senate Resolution No. 933, De Lima said such policies imposed by law enforcement agencies should be examined because such move curtails academic freedom in institutions of higher learning.

“The removal of books from the libraries of state universities is a direct and blatant attack on academic freedom enshrined in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines,” she said.

“These actions by the government’s anti-insurgency task force not only directly contravene the duty of the State to protect and promote the moral and intellectual well-being of the people, but actually run completely against the road to peace,” she added.

Books and other reading materials about peace negotiations between the government and National Democratic Front of the Philippines and other topics deemed anti-government by the military were removed from the libraries in three state universities — Kalinga State University, Isabela State University  and Aklan State University.

The books removed include the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, NDFP Declaration and Program of Action for the Rights, Protection and Welfare of Children and the Government of the Philippines-NDFP Peace Negotiations Major Arguments.

De Lima said that government should reflect on its policies instead of investing a significant amount of time and resources censoring libraries.

“Freedom of thought is a cornerstone of academic freedom and a central pillar of any functioning democracy. Institutions of higher learning should foster an environment conducive to the free exchange of ideas and the development of critical minds,” she stressed.

“The goal of education should be to train and sharpen the minds of learners and expose them to the widest range of knowledge and ideologies possible in order to produce critical thinkers and not blind followers or sycophants,” she added.