Vidal says school right in allowing student involved in sex scandal to graduate

ARCHBISHOP Emeritus of Cebu Ricardo Cardinal Vidal supports the way the University of San Jose–Recoletos (USJ-R) handled the sex-video scandal involving one its students.

“I am with them (USJ-R) in deciding to think about the welfare of the student,” Cardinal Vidal told reporters yesterday.

The 82-year-old prelate, however, also favors the imposition of stricter rules to avoid similar situations in the future.

He pointed out the video clip was spread using mobile phones and social networking sites.

“But the problem is, who can control (what is posted) on Facebook and Twitter?” he asked.

Decision

He was referring to the decision of USJ-R officials to allow the female student involved in the sex video to graduate and attend graduation rites if she passes all the requirements.

Vidal’s reaction came after other schools, including the University of Visayas and the University of Cebu, also expressed their support to USJ-R.

The USJ-R administration had asked its students to stop wearing their uniforms to avoid being bullied or jeered at by people.

Exposure

“Even before this controversy reached the media, the school was already steps ahead in helping the person involved. Measures to insure that she would finish her course with the minimum amount of exposure, so as to protect her privacy were immediately put in place,” a USJ-R official said in the statement issued last Thursday.

The officials had directed its students to wear their school uniforms again starting today.

But it doesn’t mean the school is tolerating the behavior of the student. It was only made for the sake of the student, the official said.

“The scandal does not only affect you (the female student), it affects so many people, it brought people down,” the official said.