SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: February 12, 2024

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):Polytechnic University of the Philippines

Region & Country:Southeastern Asia | Philippines

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On February 12, 2024, police forcibly dispersed Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) students protesting in front of the House of Representatives in Quezon City, using riot shields and batons.

The students had gathered to express their concerns with the proposed National Polytechnic University Bill, which would designate PUP as a national university, privatize some of the university’s services, and permit business ventures within the university. In addition, the students were protesting a lack of student representation at a hearing on the bill.

Videos posted to social media show police responding violently to the protesters, including by beating them with batons and pushing them with riot shields. At least seven students were injured.

Following the incident, Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte posted to X expressing condemning the behavior of the police and saying that she would open an investigation into the police response. The Commission on Human Rights also expressed alarm.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about police violently dispersing students peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly—conduct that is expressly protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Philippines is a party. State authorities have an obligation to not restrict the nonviolent exercise of such rights. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, the use of force and detention to restrict or deter nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.bulatlat.com/2024/02/13/pup-students-protest-privatization/
https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/12/authorities-alarmed-over-violent-police-dispersal-of-pup-students-633
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/metro-manila/students-protest-bills-polytechnic-univerisity-philippines-privatization/
https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/02/14/2333256/belmonte-hits-violent-dispersal-student-protesters
https://twitter.com/PUPTheCatalyst/status/1756883911148523855