NINE students of the Saint Paul University Philippines-Tuguegarao were expelled for allegedly taking part in an email campaign seeking redress for various issues.

Other students involved in the campaign were barred from enrollment.

Meanwhile, the school did not issue Good Moral certificates to students who sought to transfer to other schools because of the issue.

In an interview, one of the students said the school administration has shown nothing but intimidation.

“They focused on the manner instead of the matter. Eh, ‘yung manner naman natin maayos, at kahit sabihin natin na mayroong point na naging out of hand ‘yung iba, it doesn’t make our concerns any less valid,” one of the students said.

The university’s legal counsel sent students letters informing them of their ‘misconduct’ and alleged violations of the student handbook.

Last June, over 500 students and parents sent emails to SPUP Tuguegarao administrators and shared their five-point demand on social media using the hashtags #NoPaulinianLeftBehind and #InclusiveEducationNow.

Among their demands were a transparency report on school fees; the removal of erroneous fees; an alternative option to online learning; the retention of all the faculty and non-teaching staff and academic freeze.

“As Paulinians, we have been taught to always observe and practice the core values of Charity, Charism, Commission, Community, and Christ – and it is in this spirit that we humbly pursue these requests,” the campaign stated.

The university however reprimanded students for their ‘unruly’ behavior on social media and threatened them with expulsion.

The POST is trying its best to get the side of St. Paul Tuguegarao administration on the issue as of posting time.