A STUDENT assistant (SA) has admitted to stealing the laptop computer of a Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) professor last Aug. 31.
Marty Salumpong (not his real name), a junior from the College of Science, confessed during the investigation of the University Belt Area Police Community Precinct that he took the black Samsonite laptop of Prof. Carlos Manapat, the assistant coordinator for Social Sciences in Artlets. Manapat had left his laptop at the AB Department Chairs’ office at around 7 a.m. on Aug. 30.
In a written report given by the University Safety and Security Services to the Varsitarian, Manapat said he would not file criminal charges against Salumpong who lost his scholarship due to the event.
Student assistants expressed fears that the incident might cast them in a bad light.
“Once an SA commits grave violation, the record he leaves is not for him alone to bear, but for the whole community of working scholars who are identified with him,” Pamela Morelos, a senior Journalism student and SA at the Miguel de Benavides Library, said.
But Thelma Samson-Maraña, head of the San Lorenzo Working Scholars, said the incident was an isolated case.
“It does not necessarily follow that a single theft incident involving an SA would mean that all working scholars are up to doing just the same,” she said. “What happened to Salumpong is just an isolated case and it should not be a gauge to judge other working scholars.” Leonard James D. Postrado
