Robbery charges vs 5 PUP studes dropped
MANILA, Philippines - The president of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines on Monday said he has decided to drop charges of robbery with threat and intimidation against five PUP students who stole chairs inside the university.
In a statement, PUP president Dr. Dante Guevarra said he has dropped the charges filed before the Manila Prosecutor's Office against Patrick Michael Canela, Judy Anne Fabito, Abriel Masilungan, Cheysser Soriano and Ferrin Louise Umagat.
Police arrested the five for stealing school property during Wednesday's violent protest rally at the school. The students were protesting a proposed 2,000% increase in the PUP tuition.
"I saw clearly that the symptomatic detention of our students is definitely not the answer to our problem; and a number of considerations had to factor in: economic crisis, social disintegration, education cost, man-hour loss, and renewal—I saw the fact that they are students undergoing hardships in life who have to be given the chance to be renewed for them to be able to finish their education," he said.
The university president said he has consulted with the PUP management and various stakeholders to address the lack of budget in the university. He also urged the Commission on Higher Education to stand by its word to increase the PUP budget to allow it to mold its 62,000-strong student population.
A resolution by the PUP board issued on Monday said it has disapproved "any increase in tuition fee and other fees in the University for AY 2010-2011."
Last week, CHED chairman Emmanuel Angeles said he will not allow private schools or state university/colleges to implement tuition increases for this school year to give poor students access to education. “These schools cannot implement any increase in tuition fee without CHEd’s approval and without undergoing through consultation process,” he said.