Bestlink College accused of ‘gaslighting’ after clarifying statement on foundation day issue

January 31, 2025 - 2:21 PM
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A facade of a building of Bestlink College of the Philippines in this photo posted on its Facebook page on April 26, 2021 (Bestlink College of the Philippines via Facebook)

A private college has been accused of “gaslighting” its students after controversial accounts of their Foundation Day celebration circulated online.

In a follow-up to its initial statement, Bestlink College of the Philippines (BCP) on Friday, January 31, said it “acknowledges” the “valid sentiments of the students,” distancing itself from what it said was misinterpreted by the public.

RELATED: Bestlink denies stranding students, apologizes for ‘inconvenience’

“Taliwas sa pagkakaunawa ng karamihan sa naunang inilabas na pahayag ng Pamunuan ng Bestlink College of the Philippines, hindi pinabubulaanan ng Pamunuan ang naging kaganapan (event) sa Punta Belle, Hermosa, Bataan noong ika-26 ng Enero 2025,” it said in Filipino.

“Hindi rin pinabubulaanan ng Pamunuan ang nangyaring paglalakad, pagkapagod, pagkagutom, at pagkahilo na naranasan ng ibang mga estudyante matapos ang naging kaganapan sa nasabing lugar,” the college added.

BCP said that it “only refuted certain reports” like “false rumors of a casualty, missing students, a smoking bus, and other fabricated claims” which it said were “malicious, damaging, and intended to tarnish the school’s reputation.”

“Para sa ikalilinaw ng naunang pahayag, ang mga ito ang pinabubulaanan ng Pamunuan bilang patas na pagpapahayag sa tunay na nangyari,” it added.

The school also said it had “no intention” of making the students walk under difficult conditions, claiming that it had already informed them of “proper directions, lines, and exit routes from the concert grounds.”

“Gayundin, malinaw sa mga nagmaneho ng bus ang oras ng kanilang pagdating sa pick-up area upang makasakay ang mga estudyante ng matiwasay,” BCP said.

“Ang hindi naging pagsunod sa ibinigay na direksyon ang nagdulot ng biglang pagkalito at kaguluhan sa mga estudyante, at gayun din ang pagkaharang at hindi na naging maayos na pag-usad ng mga bus papunta sa nasabing pick-up area,” it added.

The college also said that the students “voluntarily” walked because the latter intended to reach and immediately board their buses.

“Ang nasabing paglalakad na ginawa ng mga estudyante ay upang makarating sila sa kani-kanilang itinalagang bus nang makasakay na pauwi, bagaman may mga bus na nakaparada muna sa ibang lugar roon sa Hermosa, Bataan dahil na rin sa dami ng bilang ng mga kinailangan na bus at habang hinihintay matapos ang nasabing kaganapan,” BCP said.

The academic institution likewise denied blaming the transport service providers, saying that the “poor signal reception in the area” caused “unclear communication” and affected “coordination among assigned personnel.”

‘Totoo po’ 

The follow-up statement similarly failed to amuse students and other Filipinos who thought the BCP was “lying” to students with their latest declaration.

“[Napaka] sinungaling niyo talaga, Bestlink College of the Philippines, mapanira, gawa-gawa kwento at hindi makatotohanan? Sure kayo? Ang hindi totoo, ‘yung may namatay na estudyante, pero ‘yung pinaglakad niyo kami, may umusok na bus at may nahimatay, totoo ‘yun,” a student wrote.

“Actually, sa mga nahimatay na estudyante, isa sa tumulong dati naming [professor], tumawag ng medic… ta’s ‘yang usok sa bus, sabihin niyo hindi totoo?” she added, sharing a video of smoke spreading inside a bus.

“Ano nangyayare sa inyo? Jusko!! Parang wala naman sa mga nabanggit ninyong ‘ISSUE.’ Ang kumakalat, ang TRENDING, is ‘yung paglalakad, may nahimatay, ‘hindi namatay.’ Gutom at KAPABAYAAN NINYO!” another Facebook user commented.

“Dami ninyo pakulo, anagutan ninyo na lang ang kawalan ninyo [nang] pag-alala sa SAFETY ng mga BCP STUDENTS at sa maayos na EDUCATION SYSTEM! Kawawa sa inyo,” he added.

“Guni-guni lang ‘yung umusok na bus?????” exclaimed another online user in response to the BCP’s latest statement.

A different online user claimed that there was “first come-first served” announcement to students, hence the “commotion” among them.

“Choice nga raw kasi nating maglakad ng GUTOM, UHAW, PAGOD, WALANG TULOG. Nakauwi naman daw kasi tayo [ng] ligtas (even though hinihika ‘yung karamihan),” she wrote with sarcasm.

“‘Di nga raw kasi tayo nakinig sa announcement nila na ang sabi is ‘FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE,’ kaya kasalanan natin kung bakit nagkagulo tayong mga students,” the online user added in the same tone.

“‘Di rin nga raw kasi totoo ‘yung umuusok [or] overheating na bus, kahit city bus ‘yun, hindi provincial bus. So in the end, tayo ngang students may kasalanan. Kukulit kasi natin eh,” she contiuned.

Another Facebook user claimed that the incident at the bus was “true,” daring them to ask the TTMD (Traffic and Transport Management Department) personnel stationed at a stop light in Novaliches Proper about it.

“Totoo po ang umusok na bus,” she wrote.

“Hindi po ito gawa-gawa lamang. Malaking bagay na lamang po sa amin at ipinagpapasalamat sa Panginoon na nasa Novaliches Bayan na kami noong umusok ito at may mga nag-assist sa aming TTMD at hindi lumala ang sitwasyon, maliban na lamang sa malakas na usok sa loob ng bus habang nasa loob pa kaming mga estudyante,” the online user added.

“Sa aking pananaw, marahil ang dahilan nito ay ang pagkuha ninyo sa mga City Buses na may kalumaan na din na hindi kaya ang bumyahe ng probinsya,” she continued.

“Bukod sa walang alam sa direksyon ang mga Bus Driver na muntik na namin ikaligaw sa NLEX, ay hindi rin siguro sila naging handa sa maaaring mangyari. Marahil nagkulang sila sa paglagay ng nirarapat na tubig upang maiwasan ang ‘over heat’ ng kanilang minamanehong Bus,” the user added.

A different online user claimed that the “professors and staff” were the first to leave, adding that the students were “left behind.”

“Kahit anong languages ang gamitin [niyo], walang maniniwala sa inyo at walang magbabago sa mga nararamdaman namin!!!!!” she wrote.

“May video na nga ‘yung umuusok na bus, haahahaha at tsaka anong gusto [niyo] mangyari, huh?” another Pinoy commented.

“Maghintay kami doon para bukas na kami uuwi, eh, hindi nga makapasok ‘yung bus sa sobrang traffic at sikip. Kahit nilakad na namin palabas, 1 a.m. na kami nakauwi, so paano ‘pag naghintay kami doon, mga 2 na? [Tomorrow]?” the online user added.

Initial reports and social media posts indicated that over 1,000 students were left stranded and forced to walk for hours along highways on late Sunday evening after attending the school’s 23rd founding anniversary celebration at Punta Belle, Hermosa, Bataan.

A student interviewed by ABS-CBN News earlier this week said that they walked for around three hours to reach the buses on the national road in Hermosa.

The report said the buses were unable to travel to the resort where the foundation day celebration was held as the roads were supposedly narrow and bumpy.

“Sobrang dilim noon at napakaalikabok ng daan. Hindi nga namin alam saan pupunta, pero diniretso na lang namin,” the student said.

“Pagdating namin sa national highway, nakipag-agawan kami sa ibang courses. Sumakay kami sa bus na hindi namin ka-department… May mga kaklase kaming naiwan, umabot na ng madaling araw, hinaharang na sa highway. Nagpalipas ng gabi sa Bataan, hindi sila masyado ina-accommodate ng resort kasi hindi na kaya. So nakitulog ang iba kung saan-saan,” he added.

The students paid P500 for the bus fare, as coordinated by the school.

The Commission on Higher Education, which regulates colleges and universities, said it would issue a show cause order to the BCP for conducting an off-campus activity “without submitting the required documents with CHEDRO NCR [CHED Regional Office NCR].”

The local government unit (LGU) of Quezon City also told schools in its area to “prioritize safety and responsible planning” following the incident.

“The Quezon City Government strongly urges all schools to make student safety their utmost priority when organizing large-scale events,” it said in a statement.

“Schools are reminded of their responsibility to exercise due diligence by ensuring meticulous planning and closely coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and other relevant authorities,” the LGU added.

“Adherence to established safety protocols is non-negotiable and must be strictly observed to safeguard students and prevent undue inconvenience to the public,” it continued.

In 2017, BCP also conducted an off-campus activity which resulted in the deaths of 15 students, a teacher, and a bus driver.

The students were on a field trip when the bus they were riding in lost its brakes and crashed into an electricity pole in Tanay, Rizal.