Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of physical abuse.
Days after the 2024 special elections, a student accused University Student Council (USC) vice chairperson-elect Franz Beltran of physical abuse against a former partner through a thread on X yesterday.
In a now-deleted tweet, UP Diliman student Lee Morale claimed that Beltran’s former partner was abused to the point of hospitalization. Morale also sent more pictures to the Collegian, showing bruise marks on Beltran’s ex-partner’s upper chest area.
She also alleged that former USC Chairperson Shine Reyes knew about the case but broke her promise of not letting Beltran run. Reyes has since stated in an X post that she received evidence that the wounds were caused by an acupuncture blading procedure instead of physical abuse.
“When the [victim] asked [Beltran] if he would run again, it was during the last May 2024 regular elections where Beltran did not run. There is no context of domestic abuse … we never had a conversation about this before, during, or after the special elections,” Reyes wrote.
Calls for the vice chairperson-elect’s resignation have already mounted as Morale’s post quickly spread on the social media site overnight. Beltran has since denied the allegations in a statement posted this afternoon.
He said that the bruises on his former partner's back resulted from a blading procedure, and not violence. He attached screenshots of a conversation with his ex-partner’s sister, who did the procedure. He also said that he has reached out to the Office for Student Ethics and the Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment to investigate the matter.
The Collegian could not independently verify the hospital records and full conversation among all parties involved.
Both Beltran and Reyes, however, expressed willingness to undergo investigation.
As the investigations take place, Beltran declared that he would be placing himself under voluntary suspension from his affiliations such as the USC, University Freshie Council, and Rise for Education Alliance.
The procedures of Beltran's voluntary suspension remain unclear. The election code stipulates that vacancy in the vice chairperson post due to cessation of tenure, which does not include voluntary suspension, may only be filled by a councilor elected by the USC.
But the proclaimed winners last Wednesday cannot discharge their duties as USC officers yet until the turnover ceremony on November 18. Post-election protests may be filed until Friday.
If the vice chairperson position is to be vacated, the replacement process will only be possible once councilors-elect Kristian Mendoza and Joaquin Buenaflor assume their posts next week.
Beltran won with 3,136 votes against UP Alyansa candidate Therese Mangussad and independent Dexter Clemente by centering his platform on student issues, council transparency, and safe spaces.
But after an election cycle already embroiled with cases of sexual harassment and the failure of internal rectification processes within political formations, instead of giving the incoming council a solid mandate, the case may throw the already severely understaffed USC into renewed turmoil. ●
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has since been updated to reflect Vice Chairperson Beltran’s and Reyes’s recent statements. Some paragraphs have also been updated to reflect the ongoing investigation of the case.
If you were affected by the contents of this article, you may reach the National Center for Mental Health crisis hotlines at (0917) 899 8727 and (0917) 989 8727. PsycServ can be reached at (0916) 757 3157 while the UHS emergency hotline is 981 8500 loc. 111.
Reports of abuse and other cases may be sent to the Office for Student Ethics through 0981 850 0450 / 89818500 loc 4509 or its email ose.upd@up.edu.ph. Meanwhile, sexual harassment reports may be filed to the UP Diliman Office of Anti-Sexual Harassment through its Facebook page or email oash.upd@up.edu.ph. The UP Diliman Police may be contacted at 8981-8500 local 113.
