THE CHAIR of the UST Department of Political Science defended the department’s decision to engage with the National Security Council and other state entities in an upcoming academic colloquium, stressing that the University must remain a venue for open discourse.
Political Science Chair Dennis Coronacion told the Varsitarian that the participation of state entities in the event would contribute to a more comprehensive discussion on issues such as “terror grooming,” and could help inform policy.
“In our past engagements with the government, we have noticed that it listens to the various stakeholders. And when it does, it leads to policy and program adjustments,” Coronacion said.
“In the past, we allowed the leaders of the left-leaning groups to speak before our students, such as Cong. Sarah Elago and then-presidential candidate Ka Leody De Guzman, to name a few. If we allowed their leaders to engage with our students, why can’t we do the same for the government?” he added.
The forum, which will tackle the issue of “terror grooming” and “recruitment,” has drawn mixed reactions from students over the participation of the National Security Council and even the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), which campus activist groups have criticized over its record of red-tagging.
“As a department, aren’t we doing a disservice to the Thomasian community if we would only grant access to them and exclude the government from any public discourse, especially on national security matters?” Coronacion said.
The NTF-ELCAC has been linked to red-tagging and harassment of activists, journalists and academics since its inception in 2018.
According to Coronacion, the department is taking the concerns of student activist groups seriously.
“We are taking their concerns seriously. In fact, we are doing something to address those concerns. I just can’t reveal it now,” he stated.
The department chair also said the department would not allow itself to be used by organizations, whether state or non-state actors, for their “nefarious political activities.”
“We hope to sustain what we have helped build over the years, which is to turn the University into a venue where everyone, regardless of their political leanings, can freely discuss ideas without fear of reprisal or intimidation,” he said.
“We would like to see to it that our University will continue to uphold and promote the plurality of ideas and opinions. It is only through the free marketplace of ideas can we arrive at the truth.”
According to Coronacion, the research colloquium, which includes the forum, was meant to showcase research made by scholars and experts on the issue of “terror grooming.”
The department said it hoped the event would allow the government to “get a better understanding” of social issues, which could result in better policy outcomes.
The forum will be co-organized by the National Security Council and the Faculty of Arts and Letters.
The Research Center for Social Sciences and Education was initially among the organizers but withdrew on Monday after learning about the participation of the NTF-ELCAC.
The forum, titled “Preventing Terror Grooming: The Philippine Experience,” is scheduled for Nov. 6 and will feature lectures on “terror grooming,” “recruitment practices,” and the experience of former rebels. With reports from Sydney Venice V. Berba
