Baguio university probes alleged sexual assault by faculty

BAGUIO CITY — The University of Baguio announced Wednesday that it will investigate an alleged sexual assault involving a faculty member following an anonymous open letter published on social media.

In an official statement, the university administration said that while no formal complaint has been filed through institutional channels, it takes the allegation seriously and prioritizes student safety.

The viral social media post alleges that a professor raped a student and claims that other students faced similar harassment from the same instructor.

The anonymous author described the faculty member as associated with the College of Education, or the School of Teacher Education and Liberal Arts, and involved in university athletics. Neither the author nor the accused professor was publicly identified in the post.

The author wrote of experiencing months of guilt before speaking out and claimed that previous attempts to inform university officials went unaddressed. The post did not include police reports or supporting documentation.

University officials noted that claims of sexual abuse are handled through its Complaint Handling Office and Committee on Decorum and Investigation.

The administration clarified that the lack of an official report has prevented formal fact-finding or protective procedures from beginning, but emphasized the statement was not intended to invalidate the claim.

School officials said efforts are underway to safely contact the author, offer support, and initiate formal proceedings.