CHED to probe Laguna university's move to bar student critics from graduating
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education will look into the decision of a public university in Laguna to block the graduation of two students who managed a freedom wall-type Facebook page that posted content critical of school policies, its chairperson said on Friday.
In a statement, CHED Chairperson Popoy De Vera bared that two students from the Pamantasan ng Cabuyao have appealed for CHED to step in and allow them to graduate this semester after they were sanctioned for running an "online parody" account that published content critical of the university
De Vera described the school's sanctions against the students as "extremely punitive" and "unreasonable.”
"The issues raised, particularly on the students' right to ventilate their sentiments, and the penalties imposed on them are serious and must be looked into as it affects not only the completion of the studies of our students, but touches on the fundamental right of expression of students in our ever-changing academic environment,” De Vera said.
“Thus, we deem the resolution of this matter a critical matter,” he added.
LOOK: CHED Chair Popoy De Vera's statement on the two Laguna students who were barred from graduating after managing a freedom wall-type Facebook page. De Vera says the issue involves not just students' completion of their studies but also their "right of expression" pic.twitter.com/3kdXvxyDD5
— Cristina Chi ???? (@chicristina_) June 23, 2023
De Vera said he has ordered CHED Executive Director Cinderella Filipina Benitez-Jaro and Legislative Services Director Frederick Farolan to “immediately look into the matter” and to determine any necessary actions CHED should undertake.
Posts by the two students that detailed their ordeal went viral on Thursday, sparking online clamor from students inside and outside the university urging the university to allow them to graduate.
In these posts, the two students said that the university trampled on their freedom of speech by punishing them for running the page and threatening others to reveal the identities of the students behind the account. One of the students said they were also forced by the school to post a public apology video over the incident, which "backfired" as several comments criticized the school.
“The Secret Files page has served as the voice of students because they don’t have the courage to speak about what’s happening inside PNC,” one of the students said in Filipino in their post.
“The sanction of a three-month suspension, coupled with the inability to attend and march on my graduation, weighs heavily on my conscience. It’s shallow. Did I kill someone?” they added.
The Board of Regents of Pamantasan ng Cabuyao has since released a resolution allowing one student to join the commencement exercises while lowering the other student's punishment from permanent dismissal to a suspension that ended Thursday.
The suspended student will be allowed to graduate on June 26 if they fulfill all their academic requirements and take special examinations, the resolution read.
The board said that it reviewed the two students’ cases with the aim of "ensuring equal opportunities for all graduating students while upholding integrity and the institution's standards."
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