Filipinos are reportedly bombarding the University of Oxford with e-mails verifying a presidential aspirant’s claims that he graduated there with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, economics and political science.
This came after former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. previously claimed in his resume that he earned a bachelor’s degree from the prestigious academic institution.
The former senator also had the same claims in a 2016 radio interview. He said he had a certificate saying “This is to certify that Ferdinand Marcos has completed a BA Degree in Social Sciences…”
BA stands for Bachelor of Arts.
The issue resurfaced as news outlets and individual citizens attempted to verify the presidential aspirant’s scholastic records by contacting the institution in the United Kingdom.
A Facebook user alleged that he directly contacted Oxford’s registrar’s office since lots of online Filipinos “are highly skeptical of Rappler’s report” on the matter.
The university’s information compliance team reportedly responded the following:
Thank you for your email.
We can confirm that a Ferdinand Marcos matriculated at the University of Oxford in 1975 to read for a BA in Philosophy, Philosophy and Economics. According to our records, he did not complete his degree, but was awarded a Special Diploma in Social Studies in 1978.
Background information: The Special Diploma, which the University no longer offers, was open to both undergraduates and graduates. Non-University members could also read for it under certain circumstances. There is no recorded link between the BA and the Special Diploma, and the Special Diploma was not a full graduate Diploma.
The Facebook user also shared screenshots of his online exchange for proof.
A lawyer likewise claimed of contacting Oxford to see whether Marcos Jr. had earned a degree from the academic institution.
“I tried. They responded. ‘According to our records, he did not complete his degree,'” he quoted the e-mail.
The online user also attached the full response on his social media post as a reference.
The Twitter user said that the presidential aspirant’s “failure” to complete his education was not the issue but rather, “the act of misrepresentation that should seriously raise concerns.”
This was echoed by professional film critic Phil Dy who tweeted that “the story shouldn’t be that BBM didn’t graduate from Oxford.”
BBM is Marcos Jr’s initials.
“The story is that he lied about it, and that he lies about everything, because undermining the truth is the top priority of any tyrant,” Dy added.
The Marcos camp, in response, said last Saturday that the presidential aspirant “has always been forthright on his conferment of a special diploma in social studies” and that he “has never misrepresented his Oxford education.”
Marcos Jr’s legal counsel, Vic Rodriguez, was also quoted in a report on Tuesday where he said that they “stand by the Degree confirmation which was issued by the University of Oxford.”
“It is up to anyone to question or challenge this with the said university if they so please,” he was quoted in a report as saying.