THE Commission on Higher Education yesterday said a female student of the University of Philippines-Diliman campus was sexually assaulted last July 1.
CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera said the victim was assaulted along Ylanan Road inside the UP Diliman campus.
The UP Diliman Police said they received a report at around 11 p.m. last Saturday that a female student had been sexually assaulted by an unknown individual while walking along the road.
De Vera said the victim, whose identity is being concealed for her privacy, is currently “under medical care” while the assailant “remains at large.”
“We extend our deep concern to our victim-survivor. I have asked the University administration to extend all possible assistance to the student and her family at this time of great challenge,” De Vera said.
“I share with the entire UP Community our full support for her and her family in overcoming this difficult traumatic hurdle in their lives and in the longer process of healing,” he added.
De Vera said he also instructed the UP president and Diliman chancellor to ensure that all assistance to the victim is properly and expediently provided.
De Vera said the sexual assault is a wake-up call to the UP administration to review its security policies, including its coordination with the PNP and other law enforcement agencies.
“This despicable criminal act is a wake-up call for the University of the Philippines to review and rationalize its security and safety policies, including its operational engagement with the PNP and other law enforcement agencies in order to make the UP Community safe and secure,” he said.
“The UP administrative and security officials must immediately coordinate and allow the proper offices of the PNP to spearhead the investigation and conduct possible pursuit operations,” he added.
De Vera said the UP administration must tap the PNP to identify, track and apprehend the attacker, who, he added, committed a “reprehensible act of violence.”
“Higher education institutions must remain as safe spaces for their students. I encourage anyone and everyone who has any information regarding the incident to report it to the authorities to aid in the investigation. The University must spare nothing to ensure that justice is obtained for the victim and her family,” De Vera further said.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. earlier said he is not keen on reviewing the terminated agreement between UP and the Department of National Defense barring the military and police from entering the campus without prior notice to the university administration.
The UP-DND agreement was inked on June 30, 1988.
UP Diliman, just like other UP campuses, has its own police force tasked to maintain peace and order and the safety of its students and faculty.
The university, in a statement released by the UP Diliman Chancellor, said it has been working with the police to identify and arrest the attacker.
It added that the administration is also closely coordinating with the victim to provide all the necessary assistance.
