EVERY YEAR, ELECTIONS are held in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) of San Beda University (SBU) so that Bedans can choose who they believe are worthy to lead and serve in their interest in the Student Council (SC).
But who could have expected that this year, 2023, not just one, nor two, but three elections were held. And throughout these ordeals, the Bedan community saw how “extremely political” the parties and candidates, as well as the very flawed system, can be.
May 2023 General Elections
On May 11, the day before the elections, standard bearers Arlene Sol of San Bigkis Party (SBP) and Kurt Casano of the Nationalist Youth and Progressive Democrats (NYPD) traded barbs with one another during the Miting de Avance (MDA). This occurred during a Question-and-Answer segment when the issue of the use of the SC office was raised, causing moderators to cut off their microphones.
Because of this issue, on Election Day, May 12, it was not surprising how the presidential seat was the only position abstained on by 738 Bedans, with Sol only acquiring 585 votes and Casano with 316. It marked the first time in the College’s history for this to happen. As a result, the winning and current Vice President for Internal Affairs, Julia San Jose, stepped in as the acting president of the SC until a successor was elected.
First Special Election
Just days after the May 12 elections, the Electoral Board (ELBO) issued a memorandum calling for a “special election” in line with the vacancy in the SC presidency. Only two candidates rose up to the challenge: Jewel Elefane from SBP and Carlos Marcelo, who ran as an independent candidate.
Despite not having no significant issues or points of contention leading up to the day of the elections, Bedans nonetheless still chose not to elect an SC president as 640 of them continued the abstain streak for a second time in a row, and Elefane and Marcelo only accumulated 561 and 181 votes, respectively.
Second Special Election
On June 26, then-outgoing SC President Ron Ashley Trias convened a Student Assembly to settle the prolonged vacancy in the SC presidency. The Assembly decided to hold a second and final special election in conjunction with the regular First-Year Representative Elections at the start of academic year (A.Y.) 2023-2024.
And so, five months since the SC presidency first remained vacant, the ELBO called for an August 23 special election. This time around, vying for presidential seat were SBP’s Eunice Bermudez and independent candidate Kyrelle Tolete. The latter would later withdraw her candidacy due to health reasons, leaving Bermudez the sole candidate.
What seemed to be an imminent win for “abstain” would have a plot twist as Bermudez was able to secure a majority of the votes, with 1,071, while 344 abstained.
Yet in a sudden turn of events, Amir Hussin, a third-year student from the Department of Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship (DBME) and the Head of the Office of the SC Vice President for Internal Affairs, filed an electoral protest before the ELBO against Bermudez.
Such a maneuver halted Bermudez’ proclamation due to Hussin’s allegations, such as promoting her platforms on election day—which is a violation as cited under Section 1, Article 8 of the OEC.
While ELBO dismissed the protest, Hussin raised the concern to the Office of the Prefect of Student Affairs (OPSA), but it was also dismissed later on due to (1) Section three of the SC Constitution did not automatically state that the penalty shall be disqualification; (2) Hussin filed the complaint during the election day, itself, to which ELBO can no longer deliberate for the qualification and disqualification of candidates; (3) Disqualification happens only before voting, as per the consulted lawyers, and; (4) the candidate earned a majority vote to which “the will of the General Assembly is accorded with respect.” As such, Bermudez was given a two-week suspension instead, leading to her official proclamation, along with Beige Campbell, her partymate, taking their oaths of office as the next SC President and First-Year Representative respectively.
Throughout these ordeals, it can be said that politics in San Beda aren’t as different from its national-level counterparts, as various issues arise too, whether it’s about the candidates, the parties themselves or even the laws and organizations responsible in promoting peaceful and proper elections. These developments come as no surprise, especially when Bedans become weary when it comes to talking politics, let alone, about the student-leaders who were not able to meet the quorum last December 1 for the Student Assembly convened by Bermudez to revise both the SC Constitution and the OEC.