High Pinay

Although the case is still under investigation, it was a wake-up call for all schools here in our country.

Allegedly the victim was raped inside the campus, four - aged 15 to 16 including three males and one female are accused of taking part in the rape of a 16 year old freshman for three consecutive days.

At first the victim was still afraid to talk about the sad fate that had happened to her but when her family noticed her strange behavior - she would take a bath several times a day and talk about how she she feels so dirty. That is when her family pressed her about what is her real problem and after learning her story, her enraged family went directly to the police station to file their complaint.

The series of tumultuous events that happened after includes the arrest of the alleged suspects inside the campus, where they were handcuffed right in front of the other students. The scene of the outraged parents at the precinct defending their sons and -yes daughter who was also one of the accused. The different reaction from the PUP students plus the possible case that PUP officials may also be held liable after they had admitted that they have no extra funds to hire more guards to watch over the 10 hectare school premises. Based on the medical findings on the victim, it is positive that there are lacerations on her private part. The story is not yet likely to end here, there are still a lot to happen.

But what is important here is the lesson we get from these traumatic and sad story of the minors, both the victim and the accused.

If I am not mistaken, it is in the CHED policy that any student proven guilty of a crime can no longer enroll in his previous school or any other school in the Philippines. Correct me if I am wrong, but if that is the case, then what would happen to the future of these students if proven guilty.

The declining number of students who are able to make it in college is already a problem in our country. Then this would happen pa. if I where to express my opinion, I believe the school official has really some accountability here.

It is a wake-up call for all school managements to watch closely, not only the academic standing of their school but as well as the security and social development of their students. I believe what happened can be categorically put into a form bullying. And bullying, although is not yet taken seriously here in the Philippines, is more damaging than anyone could imagine, it may not be in the form of physical abuse, but emotionally, spiritually… only the victims can tell how harrowing that experience could be.