University of the Philippines Professor, Melania Flores, was recently arrested and released on bail for allegedly violating the Social Security Act under charges that appear to be politically motivated against her union activities. The arrest was made at the university by officers who misrepresented their identities, violating an agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to consult with the university administration before engaging in operations on campus.
https://www.bulatlat.com/2023/02/06/arrest-of-up-professor-violates-up-dilg-agreement/
February 20, 2023
Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr.
President of the Philippines
Malacañang Complex
J.P. Laurel Street
San Miguel, Manila 1005
Philippines
Email: pace@malacanang.gov.ph
Dear President Marcos:
The Committee of Concerned Scientists is an independent organization of scientists, physicians, engineers, and scholars devoted to the protection and advancement of human rights and scientific freedom for colleagues all over the world.
We are writing in regard to University of the Philippines Professor, Melania Flores, of the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, and former All UP Academic Employees Union President. On February 6th, 2023, she was arrested in her home on the Diliman campus in Quezon City and has since been released on bail. The officers who made the arrest misrepresented themselves as employees of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. They did not inform the university administration of the operation, thus violating a 1992 agreement with the Department of the Interior and Local Government to consult with them before making arrests on campus. Prof. Flores allegedly violated the Social Security Act of 2018 by not properly submitting social security contributions from a domestic worker under her employment, which she denies. She was not informed of the charges or hearings regarding the charges beforehand.
The Committee is concerned by the appearance of retaliation against her over her union activism via weaponization of the Social Security law. She was informed of a list of related arrests, which appears to confirm the suspicion of a recurring pattern of targeting union leaders. The arrests are not commensurate with the alleged crimes.
We write to urge your government to reconsider her case as a violation of academic freedom and to investigate the behavior of the arresting officers and their violation of the 1992 agreement. Even the appearance of political retaliation against union leadership should concern your government.
Thank you for your attention to this serious matter. We will be closely following developments in this case.
Sincerely,
Cc:
Jose Manuel del Gallego Romualdez
Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States
Bataan Street
1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
United States
Phone: (202) 467 9300 / 63
Fax: (+1) 202 328 7614
Antony J. Blinken
Secretary of State
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520 USA
Phone: (202) 647-4000
Twitter: @ABlinken
MaryKay L. Carlson
Ambassador of the United States to the Philippines
United States Embassy – Philippines
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Manila, Philippines 1000
Phone: (+63) 2 5301-2000