4 UST students suspended, student council officer ousted over PAF exhibit protest

Ramil Miralles

University of Santo Tomas (UST) has suspended four student activists and ousted its incumbent Central Student Council (CSC) public relations officer over the April 21 protest that occurred during an in-campus exhibit involving the military personnel of the Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Report from The Varsitarian says that the university has released a resolution stating that the student activists have violated the code of conduct, imposing sanctions with no announced effectivity date yet from the Student Welfare and Development Committee.

This came after UST received complaints from the PAF and an alumnus over the confrontation.

At the time of the protest, student activists questioned the Air Force personnel about military operations and alleged human rights abuses, following a deadly armed encounter in Toboso, Negros Occidental that left 19 people dead.

The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) imposed sanctions following their disciplinary proceedings.  

Among the suspended students is Kabataan Partylist – UST Chapter Spokesperson and content creator Raven Racelis who received a 10-day suspension.

Along her were Behavioral Science junior Ralph Manuel who received eight-day suspension, and four days for Biochemistry freshman Dex Frogoso. Meanwhile, a five-day suspension and immediate removal from office will apply to Central Student Council (CSC) public relations officer and Architecture senior student Mecaella Capalar.

The Varsitarian reported that the students will also be denied their Good Moral Character Certificate.

‘Chilling effect’

In response to the penalties, Raven Racelis described the disciplinary cases filed against them as an act of repression against student activists.

“Isa itong taktika para patahimikin ang buong komunidad para takutin na magsalita,” Racelis said in a Facebook video on October 5. “Chilling effect, ika nga,” she added.

Racelis described the incident as a “threat to academic freedom,” explaining that regardless of the form of protest, it is “meant to disturb the comfort.”

She also questioned the “double standards” of the university officials, pointing out how the complaints against them progressed much faster even though she had filed her complaint against UST professor Marlon Villarin for red-tagging and lascivious conduct during the 2nd Academic Colloquium and the Prevention of Terror Grooming last year.

Racelis urged the UST community to stand in unity and defend their democratic rights.

Statement of UST-CSC secretary

UST CSC secretary Clarence Mindo condemned UST’s decision to suspend the student activists, arguing that the case sends a chilling message to students who chose to speak out, stating that it is unacceptable against genuine student representation.

In an instagram post on October 5, Mindo calls for Thomasian to stand in solidarity with the penalized students.

“An attack to one of us is an attack to all of us,” Mindo uttered.