Former Anakbayan Leader Refutes Claims of Militarization in UP Mindanao Amid Calls to Remove 11th RCDG

Former Anakbayan National Vice Chairperson for Mindanao Jam Saguino strongly responded to a recent statement from the University of the Philippines (UP) Mindanao Student Council, which endorsed a resolution seeking the relocation of the 11th Regional Community Defense Group (RCDG), a reserve unit under the Philippine Army, from the UP Mindanao campus grounds.

The student body’s statement argued that the 11th RCDG’s presence undermines academic freedom and student safety. They cited the unit’s proximity to academic spaces and advocated for its removal as part of a broader effort to challenge what they call a “colonial, commercialized, and fascist” education system.

Saguino countered this narrative, denouncing what she described as “a loud but misinformed minority” that distorts the purpose and history of the 11th RCDG.

“The call to ‘remove’ the 11th RCDG is not a defense of academic freedom,” Saguino said. “It is an attack on a misunderstood institution that has quietly served the country for decades.”

She emphasized that the 11th RCDG is not a combat unit, nor does it engage in surveillance or suppression. Rather, it is part of the Reserve Command of the Philippine Army—a civilian-oriented force that trains citizen-soldiers and deploys volunteer reservists during disasters, civic missions, and public safety operations.

ROTC cadets under the 11th RCDG undergo training at Camp San Gabriel, situated next to the UP Mindanao campus.

“They are not warfighters roaming campus grounds. They are volunteer reservists—teachers, farmers, nurses, engineers, workers, doctors, students—ordinary Filipinos who undergo basic military training so they can serve their communities during times of crisis,” she explained.

Saguino also pointed out that the 11th RCDG had been stationed in Barangay Bago Oshiro since 1957, decades before UP Mindanao was officially established in 1995. She asserted that claims of militarization are misleading, as the university was built beside an existing military reservation, not the other way around.

“UP Mindanao did not get militarized. It was built beside an existing, peaceful, civilian-support unit of the AFP,” she said.

For nearly 30 years, Saguino noted, the 11th RCDG and UP Mindanao have coexisted without any incident. She questioned the motivations behind the campaign, asserting that the true agenda is to erode trust in state institutions and create a vacuum where radical ideologies can take root.

“The real objective here is not student safety,” she warned. “It’s to push state forces out of civilian spaces to allow unhindered recruitment by underground communist fronts.”

Highlighting the RCDG’s contributions to disaster response, environmental cleanups, and community service, Saguino defended the unit’s role in promoting discipline, civic duty, and patriotism through programs like the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

“There is nothing oppressive about helping during a flood. There is nothing fascist about evacuating people during an earthquake,” she argued. “What is dangerous is silencing institutions that defend the people and replacing them with movements that pretend to speak for the people while working to dismantle the government from within.”

Reservists under the 11th RCDG participate in a coastal clean-up drive last July 5, 2025 at the Punta Dumalag Coastal Road, Matina Aplaya, Davao City.

Saguino concluded by affirming the RCDG’s relevance in a democratic society.

“The 11th RCDG does not threaten academic freedom. It exists so that when the freedom we enjoy is put at risk, there are Filipinos trained and ready to protect it.”

The resolution is expected to be presented during the 59th General Assembly of Student Councils and will be included in broader lobbying efforts in Congress, as part of their ongoing campaign to oppose military presence in academic institutions.