10 SWU maritime studes seek court’s aid to get records

AT LEAST 10 maritime students who participated in a walkout last month to protest “exorbitant fees” in the Southwestern University (SWU) want to transfer to another school.

They went to court yesterday after complaining that school officials withheld their Transcript of Records (TOR) due to non-payment of school liabilities.

The students yesterday sought the intervention of the Regional Trial Court to order SWU to release their records.

They are also seeking payment of P100,000 as moral damages from the defendants who include Andrew and Gina Aznar, chairman and president of SWU’s Seacrest Maritime Foundation Inc; and university president Elsa Suralta.

The students aged 17 to 21 were assisted by lawyers Rex Fernandez and Joyce Moran.

They said the school’s act of withholding their TORs violated their constitutional rights.

The plaintiffs are among 100 scholars of the SWU’s Seacrest Maritime Foundation who staged a walkout last Sept. 6 to protest school fees.

The students complained about increased fees even if they were enrolled under a “study now, pay later” scheme.

They said the foundation went to the provinces and encouraged parents to admit their children under the SWU program.

The students said they were told by SWU officials that they would not have to pay a single centavo aside from food and lodging, which could be sponsored by local government units.

During enrollment, they signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) where policies and rules were stated.

“The signing of the MOA was done in haste and the students were not even allowed to ask questions regarding the provisions of the MOA. Morever, they were told that asking too many questions would mean they will not be allowed to enroll,” the plaintiffs said.

Last July, the students were able to obtain a copy of the MOA, which was referred to a lawyer.

They discovered that certain provisions were not reflective of what was promised by the Seacrest Maritime Foundation.

The students asked for a Statement of Liabilities from the foundation. They learned that they have to pay more than they expected and contrary to what was relayed to them by the foundation.   Reporter ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL