BACOLOD CITY –– The University of Saint La Salle (USLS) here is investigating their 21-year-old student over his indecent post against Vice President Leni Robredo on Facebook.
Even if Johnrey Apellido has already apologized, officials of the USLS, a Catholic private university run by the De La Salle Brothers, launched a thorough investigation on the matter, which they considered “alarming” and “upsetting many,” including their alumni.
“Although he (Apellido) is saying that he did not make the comment, which was allegedly put together by another person, he is not entirely free or spared from the responsibility of having participated by making similar comments, which is not remote, as can be surmised from the kind of personal photos he puts on his FB account,” said USLS’s office of the chancellor for academic affairs in a statement on Monday.
“We are doing our best to correct such behavior without condemning the one who has erred, the process of finding out is still ongoing. We appeal for your patience and understanding even as we continue to undertake measures to resolve this matter,” it added.
Apellido posted on his FB a statement, urging President Duterte to have sex with Robredo so she would be enlightened because her lack of it made her stupid.
The statement was accompanied by a photo of Apellido, a first-year Bachelor of Science in Information Technology student of USLS, flashing a dirty finger and identifying himself as a “Diehard Duterte Supporter.”
In a Twitter post on Sunday, Robredo said comments such as Apellido’s would not affect her.
“Hindi naman ako ang nabawasan. Yung nadadamage ng mga ganitong comments ay yung pamilya na pinanggalingan ng mga taong katulad nito, at yung mga lider na iniidolo nila,” she wrote.
(I am not diminished [by comments such as these]. Those damaged were the families of those who made these comments and the leaders whom they idolized.)
“Leaders who bring out the worst in people are not what our country needs,” she added.
Apellido, in a post on Facebook last Saturday, apologized for the post but denied having a hand in posting the indecent remarks against Robredo on his social media account.
“I realized the value of being extra tactful and prudent in everything that I do and of safeguarding my social media account. I am a son to my mother and a brother to my sisters and I understand the Vice President could have felt when the post went viral and for that, I am deeply sorry,” he said.
“I am hoping that I can still be afforded the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. Together with my family, I hope that this controversy will be cleared soon,” he added.
The controversy, Apellido said, created a tremendous impact on his family, Vice President Robredo, and her loved ones as well as the university.
He said he had been criticized by fellow students, the public, and even by the USLS alumni, which have affected him emotionally and psychologically these past days.
“I am deeply sorry for everyone who was offended or insulted, especially for VP Leni, by the malicious remarks. I commit to participate in the ongoing investigation conducted by the university to determine the truthfulness of the Facebook post that is credited to me,” Apellido said.