BY MATÉ ESPINA
WIN SOME, lose some. That happened to the University of St. La Salle who had a couple of days to celebrate the accomplishment of Patrick Joseph Mabugat, a medical graduate who placed second in the recent Physician Licensure Exam.
Mabugat’s achievement was celebrated by Bacolodnon’s and was given recognition by Mayor Bing Leonardia through an Executive Order saying Mabugat is “a source of pride for Bacolod and serves as an inspiration and role model for its youth.”
That was short live as two days later, a post involving another student went viral, this time putting the USLS in a bad light.
It involved 21-year old Johnrey Apellido, a first year BSIT student who posted a lewd message against Vice President Leni Robredo on Facebook that made light of the issue of rape.
His post urged President Duterte to have sex with the Vice President so she would be awakened, saying her lack of it has made her stupid. A self-professed Diehard Duterte Supporter (DDS) as he claimed in his post, Apellido has denied uploading the post and has since issued a public apology through his FB page. However, this has not softened the public’s view of him.
In response, Robredo through a tweet said Apellido’s comment does not affect her saying, “Hindi naman ako ang nabawasan. Yung nada-damage ng mga ganitong comments ay yung pamilya na pinanggalingan ng mga taong katulad nito, at yung mga lider na iniidolo nila,” she wrote.
“Leaders who bring out the worst in people are not what our country needs,” the Vice President added.
Meanwhile, the Catholic university has launched a thorough investigation amidst calls from students, the alumni and the general public to have him expelled. In a statement the school said Apellido’s post was deemed “alarming and upsetting.”
USLS Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Dr. Annabelle C. Balor said that “Although he is saying that he did not make the comment, which was allegedly put together by another person, he is not entirely free or spared from the responsibility of having participated by making similar comments, which is not remote, as can be surmised from the kind of personal photos he puts on his FB account.”
USLS said Apellido just joined the La Sallian community last August 2020 “and we reckon he is one of those ‘least and lost’ that our founder, St. John Baptist De La Salle gave up his wealth for and, so their lives may change for the better.”
Well, that to me sounds a bit condescending and an attempt to wash their hands off the student’s character, which of course resonated with netizens who dragged Apellido’s family, particularly his parents for his upbringing.
Even Negros Occidental’s Gov. Bong Lacson who is an alumnus of La Salle joined the fray, calling on the students to be more responsible and conscientious in both their words and deeds.
For a La Sallian to utter dishonorable, imprudent, sexist, and injurious comments is disheartening said the governor, adding that being a La Sallian means “having respect for all persons.”
“While it is true that freedom of speech and expression is guaranteed by the Constitution, such does not allow irresponsible and offensive speech meant to damage another,” Lacson said adding that “Education sets civilization apart from barbarism, particularly the La Sallian brand of education.”
“Being a La Sallian is not a title, but a duty to live honorably,” he said.
The investigation is now under the Office of the Student Affairs and USLS appealed for patience and understanding saying, “We are doing our best to correct such behavior without condemning the one who has erred, the process of finding out is still ongoing.”
The public, is of course putting pressure on the school to reveal its process and findings at the soonest possible time.
Most comments of course were not just directed at Apellido but at his “idol,” the president whom many said he was just emulating in issuing diatribes against women.
A comment made by Roland Visco Matoto in the USLS site said, “If we condemned this student because of his behavior towards women…what do you call people who praised their leader who continuously malign our Filipina women?”
Apellido has also asked the public to give him a chance as he submits himself to the investigation, claiming he could not have issued such a statement it as “I am a son to my mother and a brother to my sisters and I understand the Vice President could have felt when the post went viral and for that, I am deeply sorry.”
“I am hoping that I can still be afforded the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Together with my family, I hope that this controversy will be cleared soon,” he added.
Well, if he doesn’t get expelled from USLS, this “least and lost” student will be a challenge for the university to tame./PN
