Tindig - TSU

Press Release
For immediate release
March 17, 2022

TSU threatens 3 students with suspension after allegedly joining a mobilization

Three students from Tarlac State University (TSU) face a possibility of suspension after allegedly joining a mobilization celebrating International Women’s Day (IWD) last March 8 in Plaza Miranda, Angeles City, Pampanga.

In a letter communicated by the Student Discipline Unit (SDU) of the university’s Student Affairs and Services (SAS) Office on March 16, the three students allegedly representing Tindig TSU, a political party in the university, committed violations of the University Student Manual and the Approved Student Discipline Manual.

Some of the alleged violations are the following: (1) Holding of any event by an unaccredited student organization, (2) spearheading or knowingly joining a student activity conducted by an unaccredited student organization, (3) willful disregard or violation of established policies and regulations of the University, and (4) unauthorized participation of Tindig TSU in the rally may be prejudicial to the university’s best interest.

These “major offenses” correspond to seven to 15-day suspension penalties which would impede students’ learning.

According to Tindig TSU, they recognize that they are not an accredited organization in the university for the current academic year, however, the SDU of SAS Office does not have the right to suppress any form of dissent, speech, and expression from the organization, if any.

On the other hand, the students demand the institution to intensively uphold their fundamental right to free speech and to expression as ensured under the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and the international laws and treaties guaranteeing such rights.

They also asserted that the institution does not have jurisdiction over the students’ activities outside the school premises.

“The Student Affairs and Services Office does not have the authority to intrude in my personal life. It is disappointing how the institution maliciously tags me as a violator of the Student Discipline Manual. I am not in any way affiliated with Tindig TSU and I also did not join the International Women’s Day mobilization. However, even if I did, exercising my democratic rights should never be questioned, most especially by my university,” one of the students said.

With this, the organization demands the institution to disclose the identities of their sources in line with their fundamental right to face their accusers as well as the pieces of evidence they possess.

Furthermore, the students had already taken legal actions against the vilification and filed a counterstatement against the SAS Office.

“Marcosian martial law is long dead; authoritarian legalism is passe and has no place in civil society. Please do not revive it in our esteemed university as constitutional guarantees are cherished rights borne out of the blood and sweat of the freedom-loving Filipinos who bravely fought the fascist dictatorship,” Atty. Ericson Dela Cruz, the students’ legal counsel said.

“What you’re actually doing is a form of lawfare. It is a recent development in international law that pertains to the authoritarian use of law and legalism to suppress any form of dissent and neutralize dissenters. Scores have died because of this. Please note that my client will never take this lightly,” he added.

Tindig TSU and the students condemn the institution’s malicious tagging of students as violators of the Student Manual and upfront suppression of their democratic rights as they continue to stand and fight for the rights of the toiling masses.