The University of Santo Tomas’ (UST) Faculty of Engineering has launched an investigation into a group of students and one professor who are allegedly part of an online chat group where stolen lewd photos of women are being swapped.
The Faculty said in a statement yesterday that UST “does not condone any inappropriate conduct exhibited by students or teachers.”
The statement added that they were “saddened” by the alleged involvement of their students and faculty in the group chat, and had “immediately placed the students and faculty member under administrative investigation.”
The school added that it “is committed to maintain (sic) a learning environment that develops character, attitude, and moral values based on Catholic teaching[s].”
It also said that it will follow due process in its investigation of those who have been implicated in the case.
“We commit to a fair and timely resolution of the issues, observing due process but without compromising the transformative nature of Thomasian Education,” it reads.
The allegations first emerged on Thursday when a Twitter account using the handle @leaks_anon shared screenshots of the controversial group chat, showing the lewd photos and videos of women that were allegedly being shared among its members. The women are believed to be students from different universities in Metro Manila.
The screenshots were placed in a Google Drive that remains accessible to the public. Aside from the photos and videos, the screenshots also showed the names of the 13 people who were allegedly members of the group chat. Twelve were identified as UST students, with the 13th being a faculty member.
UST ENGG PIGS: Mga lalaking nagkakalat ng private photos ng mga babaeng nasa UST atbp. https://t.co/vcu0EpFc1E@varsitarianust @TomasinoWeb @USTESC @UST_CSC @ustshssc @TheUSTFiles @USTRotaract @hiraya_ust @robertkaaatz
— Anon Leaks (@leaks_anon) May 29, 2019
According to UST’s official student publication The Varsitarian, the UST Student Handbook states that circulation of “immoral, obscene, pornographic pictures, books, magazines, engravings, sculptures, and other similar materials that are offensive and disruptive of the rights of others and of the Thomasian community” is punishable by suspension, non-readmission or exclusion, depending on the gravity and number of offenses.
Coconuts Manila has reached out to UST for comment regarding the situation, but they have yet to respond.
