Student in sex video skips graduation rites

THE female student involved in a sex video with her then boyfriend did not join the graduation rites yesterday.

Marie (her real name withheld) can still receive her diploma at the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) once she has complied with requirements.

Atty. Jonathan Capanas, dean of USJR’s College of Law, said the girl had no problem with her grades but she had not submitted an application for graduation with the registrar’s office.

With the public scrutiny that she had been placed under owing to the spread of the sex video on the Internet and mobile devices, she might have opted to steer herself away from a graduation march, Capanas said.

She might only want to get a transcript of grades, the dean told Sun.Star Cebu.

Capanas said the USJR administration has stood by its decision to let the girl decide on whether to join the graduation rites.

“Our decision will always be for the welfare of the student. Maybe she felt that she didn’t want to be put on the spotlight again,” he said.

Capanas said that some graduating students had likewise failed to make it to the graduation rites for being short of requirements but just the same were considered graduates after meeting the requirements.

Inocencio Dela Cerna, former lawyer of the girl, said he was informed that the girl would not be issued a certificate of good morals.

He told Sun.Star Cebu that the girl’s name wasn’t in the list of graduates indicated in the graduation program.

But Capanas said the certificate is “non-issue” because it is not needed for employment.

“What’s important is she graduates,” he said.

The sex video, taken with her then boyfriend two years ago using a camera phone, had been uploaded on the Internet and spread on mobile phones.

The girl was identified by her school uniform and ID.

Female students of USJR were taunted because of it, prompting the school administration to suspend the wearing of uniform. The school, which was not named in initial news reports, defended the girl, allowed itself to be identified and lifted the uniform suspension.

A classmate of the girl in the sex video told Sun.Star Cebu said the girl did not want the issue resurfaced when other students see her march and so decided to dock the limelight.

Last week, the ex-boyfriend took a polygraph test at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 office to erase suspicion that he was involved in or had benefitted from the uploading of the sex video, his lawyer Chevrolie Maglasang said.

Maglasang said they are cooperating with the NBI in going after the people behind the video uploading.

The camera phone, which belonged to the boyfriend, got lost while he was out drinking with his brother and friends in August 2011, Maglasang said.

The NBI in Central Visayas is investigating whoever was behind the uploading of the sex video on the Internet.

Republic Act 9995, or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, penalizes anyone who sells, shares, shows, or exhibits the sex video or photo without the consent of those involved in the video or photo.

Those found guilty of sharing or selling copies of the video will be jailed ranging from three to seven years. They could also be fined from P100,000 to P500,000.