Star Century, an anonymous entity but was confirmed by the Freehand as a reliable source, leaked significant internal events between the split of PUP SPEAK and the mass resignations within the party.
In an 8-page document attached to an email sent to the publication, Star Century narrates what happened within the PUP SPEAK starting with the IGNITE Concert followed by mass resignations which was then connected to the formation of the now-also-running independent slate for the position in the Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral.
PUP SPEAK and the IGNITE concert
Starting with how the IGNITE concert was initially formed to a project for library, which was first supposedly named as “BOOKING sa PUP”, Star Century describes the concert to be “The concert that was supposed to be a legacy for PUP SPEAK would turn out to be its nightmare later on.” Star Century writes that it all goes down starting the suspension of classes due to rising cases of COVID-19 – the beginning of the pandemic, declaring Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) last March 15, 2020
Star Century writes “By March 18, upon approval of all concert committees, Elijah San Fernando announced the re-channeling of Ignite concert proceeds to COVID-19 response.” But the Internal Audit (IA) however, responded that the funds generated from the concert could not be re-channeled for other purposes other than what is previously declared. Star Century explains that SPEAK could not finish liquidation of Ignite concert – the PHP 95,000 worth of food receipts were tasked to be liquidated by Lei Frances Pablo. Within their committee heads group chat, Pablo said that she had already submitted the liquidation to San Fernando which was then denied by the latter.
Then suddenly, Elijah San Fernando, who is the party’s founding chair left PUP SPEAK.
“Several months after the first implementation of ECQ, the team of SR Bartolome’s office visited the Office of the Student Regent. Contrary to San Fernando’s argument, the team, who has cleaned the office, never found the documents.” Start Century explains. But interestingly, days before this year’s student council elections, the office of Interim Student Regent Rommel Gonzaga “revealed” on an attached video on Facebook that the lost receipts are located inside the office. On a chat group with “independent” paralegals, San Fernando told them, “Paano kaya kung malaman nilang nasa OSR ang hinahanap nila?”
Teas that were spilled Star Century exposed few significant “tea” against PUP SPEAK which includes Abraham Sagun, a long-time Secretary-General and organization tactician of PUP SPEAK was planned by the party’s council of advisers to be appointed on the Office of the Student Services (OSS). This is connected to the conditions to support the then-PUP Presidential candidate VPAA Manuel Muhi. However, Sagun was also with the party alumni who left PUP SPEAK.
Non-official propaganda pages were also exposed to become part of PUP SPEAK’s campaigns. Medel Pulanco, better known as “Dhel”, San Fernando, and some former student-leaders from the Senior High School under the SPEAK banner are the administrators behind the “PUP Senior High School” facebook page. This page occasionally becomes active, usually during SC Elections where it posts allegations against SAMASA, their rival for the past few years. Meanwhile, it is the former SKM Vice President, of course under SPEAK banner, who holds “The Catacyst”, an “alternative news site for the Polytechnic University of the Philippines”. This page has a history of questioning the integrity of the university student publication, The Catalyst, where it has derived its name. And finally, Star Century writes an “open secret” that San Fernando is the “Admin E” of PUP Memes facebook page. The Facebook page had also been called out before, during the Student Council Elections 2019 for its biased analysis on two rival parties—SAMASA v SPEAK—seemingly showing that the PUP SPEAK is more pro-student, after having realized their mistake, the post was then removed.
“Headed by San Fernando, the active alumni who left the party included: Abraham Sagun, Clarissa Mendoza (former CPSPA president, former ANAK-PUP Secretary-General), Christian Jake Tabara (co-founder of SEED Network), Marc Angelo Sanchez (former SKM Vice President)” Star Century writes.
Why did they leave?
The Freehand clarified this question to the informant, asking what could have happened within the party that cause this trend to leave? Star Century stated, “Yung split e medyo tago siya at first, hindi siya lantaran sa GC. Majority of them has been with KD [Kuya Dhel] until around February, pero si Kuya Eli e wala na talaga no'n. For sure, 'tulad ng sinabi ni Kuya Eli sa'kin, given na 'yung nagkaroon ng leadership disagreements. Pangalawa kong nakikita, power struggle or 'yung influence among the campus party, which are numbers too for a certain campaign na binabalak itulak. After all, Kuya Eli became Secretary-General sa Alternatiba na isang national coalition.”
PUP SPEAK party rift, ISR election, independent slate formation
Even after dominating the seats in the Student Council Assembly after the disqualification SAMASA party last SCE2019, the most recent ANAK Federation meeting who elected the interim student regent after Bartolome’s resignation reflected the party rift. Star Century accuses that “all PUP Main student council presidents who voted for Rommel Gonzaga definitely had a command from San Fernando.” It is already evident that the ones who voted for then-incumbent SKM President and ANAK-PUP VP for Finance Jonero Dacula still sides with PUP SPEAK.
“Si Elijah San Fernando ay nasa likod ng pagkapanalo ni Lemon Gonzaga bilang iSR” Star Century mentions.
The narrative was then followed with “SR Gonzaga posted on Facebook his affiliation with the newly-formed Tindig PUP party. Then removed it eventually. Gunning again the student council presidency of PUP San Juan, he ran under “Tindig Partylist”. Definitely, Tindig PUP is not just a simple independent coalition, as it was presented. It has a command from San Fernando, if it is not the PUP Working Group of Alternatiba Youth.”
“Decided not to use Tindig PUP as electoral vehicle for the upcoming student council elections, the electoral strategy ng mga anakis ni Elijah San Fernando is to run as “independent” to “destroy the political duopoly of SAMASA-SPEAK”. Thus, the formation of PUP Independent Action Network (PUPIAN), who has just recently-created Facebook pages for different colleges” Star Century added.
Star Century also mentions that after CPSPA councilor Francis Austin Biong was made aware that the PUP Independent Action Network (PUPIAN)— which is the independent slate vying for position in the Sentral na Konseho ng Mag-aaral — having ties with San Fernando, decided to leave the slate. It also mentioned that Marielle Vasquez, who is running for SKM presidency, has not been in her position in COEDSC for a long time, and had kept on giving authorization letters ever convening at SCA. “She was not even at the first 21st ANAK-PUP Congress that formulated the federation’s GPOA and elected a student regent.” Star Century said.
Sexual Offense Allegations
Star Century also included allegations of sexual offenses of former SPEAK alumni which the writer also said they have proven personally.
- Abraham Sagun, in a relationship with his former student in PUP SHS – HUMSS, a minor.
- Sagun, while in a relationship, (1) had harassed a former partymate several times (pamimilit); (2) had a sexual affair with former CPSPA president Clarissa Mendoza.
- Elijah San Fernando, nagpakita ng anes sa isang Ignite volunteer / councilor ng Council of Human Kinetics.
The Freehand is still communicating with mentioned individuals and parties to ask for their statement as of writing this article.
Meanwhile, the document ended with Star Century saying, “Definitely, most of the “independents” running is not really independent. Well, not independent from hidden influence of Elijah San Fernando, who escaped from Ignite accountability in spite of being in the concert management, and incumbent student councils, who disaffiliated from the concert in spite of inclusion of their logo as partners. Hindi pa kasama ang offenses nila. Magbabayad silang lahat.“ Together with some screenshots related to this issue.
You can also read the whole 8-page document here: bit.ly/3kfymzh
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