The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Monday urged the University of the Philippines-Diliman (UPD) to review its safety measures and collaborate with law enforcement following a reported sexual assault incident inside the campus. The CHED made the remark upon verification of the report involving a young female student being sexually assaulted inside UP Diliman campus. In a statement, CHED chairperson Prospero de Vera III underscored the need for all higher education institutions (HEIs) to remain safe spaces for all. “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 Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies in order to make the UP community safe and secure,” he said. De Vera said the perpetrator remains at large. “The UP administrative and security officials must immediately coordinate and allow the proper offices of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to spearhead the investigation and conduct possible pursuit operations,” he said. He added the PNP can “identify, track, and apprehend” those behind the illicit act. “I encourage anyone and everyone who has any information regarding the incident to report to the authorities to aid in the investigation,” he said. De Vera insisted that the victim and her family deserve justice following the traumatic event. Immediate assistance Besides the urgency of the investigation, De Vera stressed the need to provide support to the victim-survivor. “I have instructed the UP President and the UP Diliman Chancellor to immediately ensure that all assistance to the victim-survivor is properly and expediently provided,” he 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.’ For its part, the UP-Diliman assured to monitor the progress of the situation. “The UPD administration is working closely with police authorities for the immediate apprehension of the suspect and closely coordinating with the survivor to provide all the necessary assistance,” the UPD Office of the Chancellor said in a separate statement. It also vowed to deploy more security personnel and UPD police officers in various areas inside the campus. To date, the victim-survivor is now under medical care. Last July 1, a sexual assault incident was reported, with a female student victimized by an unknown individual along Ylanan Street inside the UPD campus. (
Source: Philippines News Agency
