April 9, 2016, 8:22p.m. – A UST student has withdrawn her candidacy for student council president in her college over, well, a tattoo.
Wynona Lei Rebuyon, a student of the College of Fine Arts and Design (CFAD), informed the local Commission on Elections of her decision last April 6. She was a candidate of the Lakas Thomasian Artists Moving Ahead (Lakas TAMA), which is affiliated with the University-wide Lakas Tomasino Coalition.
Rebuyon admitted she was aware that Article 1027 of the Code of Conduct and Discipline of the UST Student Handbook bars students from sporting tattoos. She said she had the tattoo even before she became a UST student.
Rebuyon said she went ahead with her candidacy, having been supposedly told by the Student Welfare and Development Board, and CFAD Dean Asst. Prof. Mary Christie Que to just have it removed if she won.
“I decided to just withdraw my candidacy kasi ayoko `yung sasabihin ko na ipapatanggal ko pero di ko naman gagawin. Honestly, for me, this is not just an ordinary tattoo. My mom and I have the exact same tattoo kaya this means a lot to me,” she told the Varsitarian via Facebook.
The Varsitarian tried but failed to get a comment from the CFAD Comelec.
A party mate of Rebuyon’s, Samantha Marcial, also withdrew her candidacy for CFAD public relations officer for still unclear reasons.
With Rebuyon and Marcial now out of the race, Lakasdiwa-CFAD bets Jon Joshua Santos and Francine Beatrix Amor are running unopposed for president and PRO, respectively.
The campaign period will run from April 8 to 14, while the miting de avance is set on April 15. The elections will be held from April 18 to 22 and the proclamation of the new officers will be on the last day of elections. Roy Abrahmn D.R. Narra
