Lawmakers score censorship in academe

The Makabayan bloc wants a congressional investigation into the removal of books from state university libraries for supposed “subversive” content. In filing House Resolution No. 2290, the six lawmakers from Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers and Kabataan said the removal of allegedly subversive books from the libraries of the Kalinga State University, Isabela State University and Aklan State University was reminiscent of what Adolf Hitler did in Germany in the 1930s when he ordered the burning of thousands of books. The group said the confiscation and removal by the government security forces and the state colleges and universities could also be considered “book burning” because it results in “outright censorship and attacking one’s freedom of thought in pursuit of an oppressive scheme.” —NESTOR CORRALES