University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Professor Melania Flores faced the media on Tuesday, February 7, a day after her arrest due to alleged non-remittance of Social Security System contributions.
She was joined by University colleagues who stated their support for the professor.
Flores said her right to due process was violated when the warrant of arrest shown to her was not clearly explained by the arresting officers from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD).
“Walang attachment iyong detalye ng kaso. At hindi maipaliwanag ng pulis. Sabi ko sa [pulis], “Ipaliwanag ninyo sa akin in layman’s language iyang [Republic Act No.] 11199. Anong ibig sabihin niyan?” Hindi nila maipaliwanag. Doon na lang táyo sa Karingal mag-usap. Hindi nila maipaliwanag at walang attachment kung anong detalye ng kaso,” Flores explained.
UP Faculty Regent Carl Ramota called for an investigation into what he called as “serious lapses” in existing protocols, including the 1992 agreement between UP and the Department of the Interior and Local Government which stipulates law enforcers should coordinate with UP officials before an arrest is made inside campuses.
In a statement, UP Diliman Chancellor Fidel Nemenzo promised to take action to address the alleged violation with the appropriate authorities.
“We shall continue to resist threats to our academic freedom and our institutional autonomy as we continue to defend and uphold our campus as a zone of peace,” Nemenzo said.
For his part, QCPD Director Police Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III said protocols were followed.
“We do everything we can to resolve these things peacefully, to implement a warrant na walang masaktan… ‘yung mga tao ko naman, naka-video pa nang binasahan ng Miranda Rights si Propesora,” Torre told DZUP.
Joining Flores at the press conference were Ramota, UP Diliman Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs Luis Maria Bo-ot, UP College of Arts and Letters Dean Jimmuel Naval, AUPAEU Vice President for Faculty Rommel Rodriguez, Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Philippines Secretary General Raymond Basilio, and Council of Global Unions member Elmer Labog. With reports from Ivy Montellano.