The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Engineering is investigating the alleged involvement of a group of students and one professor in a group chat circulating on Twitter which contains private photos and videos of girls, some of whom are reportedly minors, from various universities in Manila.
In a statement on Monday, the Faculty of Engineering said that UST “does not condone any inappropriate conduct exhibited by students or teachers.”
“We are saddened by the alleged involvement of our students and a faculty member in an online misbehavior,” it stated.
The statement added they had “immediately placed the students and faculty member under administrative investigation.”
The school added that they are “committed to maintain a learning environment that develops character, attitude, and moral values based on Catholic teachings.”
The school said it will follow due process in its investigating 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 said.
A Twitter account named “Anon Leaks” shared screenshots of the group chat containing private photos and videos of female students placed in a Google drive.
The screenshots showed the names of the 13 people, 12 were identified as UST students and the other one as a faculty member.
As of press time, portions of their conversations in Facebook could still be accessed in the Google drive.
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”.
It is punishable by suspension, non-readmission or exclusion, depending on the gravity and number of offenses.
Two women’s organizations condemned the leakage of the alleged private photos and videos of female students. (Erma Edera)
