Politics · Philippines Bureau
UP Diliman body condemns police dispersal of Pax Silica protest rally
A University of the Philippines Diliman committee has condemned what it characterizes as a violent dispersal by Philippine National Police of a rally opposing the Pax Silica agreement. The group has called on the government and police to account for the alleged infringement of citizens' constitutional rights.
LSN Philippines ·
A committee at the University of the Philippines Diliman has issued a statement condemning the Philippine National Police for their handling of a protest rally against Pax Silica, marking the latest institutional criticism of the government's response to anti-agreement demonstrations.
The UP Diliman body described the dispersal as a violation of constitutional protections, stating that the police action breached citizens' rights to free assembly and free speech. The committee called on both the Philippine government and the PNP to answer for the incident.
The Pax Silica agreement, which has drawn significant opposition from civil society groups, students, and academics, has become a flashpoint for debates about press freedom and national sovereignty in recent weeks. Multiple demonstrations against the pact have taken place across the capital and other regions.
The incident underscores ongoing tensions between law enforcement and protest movements in the Philippines, with rights advocates closely monitoring police conduct during demonstrations. University-based institutions have increasingly voiced concerns about the treatment of student and faculty activists participating in campus and public rallies.