The Highest Court must stand on Higher Ground

The UPSILON SIGMA PHI vigorously supports the 37 faculty members of the University of the Philippines College of Law who had exercised their right to academic freedom in their statement entitled, Restoring Integrity.

In performing their solemn duty to teach the law in the grand manner and to make great lawyers, the UP Law Faculty is necessarily vested with the freedom to express their opinions and impart knowledge according to what they sincerely believe is true, correct, right and ideal.

The Show Cause Order directing the faculty to explain why they should not be punished for their opinion regarding Vinuya vs. Executive Secretary is by and of itself a retaliatory measure against the faculty. It is at the onset punishment imposed upon the academe for having exercised the right to evaluate, assess, and criticize a Decision which had already been promulgated and published by the Supreme Court.

Since its founding more than ninety years ago, the Upsilon Sigma Phi reveres in its fine tradition of exerting efforts to create a climate conducive to learning and progress in the University of the Philippines. This ideal can only be realized thru the unrestricted, unfettered and responsible exercise of academic freedom innate in a democratic state. The Upsilon Sigma Phi thus unconditionally affirms and supports the right of the UP Law Faculty to express what in their professional and academic capacity they believe to be true, correct and fair, free from imminent, threatened or actual retribution and punishment which is designed to hinder, diminish or negate their freedom of exposition.

(SGD.) Gregorio Angelo C. Villar
Illustrious Fellow
Upsilon Sigma Phi Diliman

(SGD.) Samuel Jay C. Pasia
Illustrious Fellow
Upsilon Sigma Phi Los Baos

(SGD.) Jacinto S. Puno 65
President
Upsilon Sigma Phi Alumni Association, Inc.

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