Two universities denied the supposed credentials of a person who attended a grade school graduation in Cavite as a guest speaker.
The speaker identified as Kathleen Joy Poblete was introduced as a graduate of the University of the Philippines-Manila and the Cavite State University in the virtual graduation ceremony of Ramona S. Tirona Memorial School in Dasmariñas in Cavite.
This was streamed on Facebook on July 15.
Some Twitter users managed to make copies of the video where Poblete was introduced as the guest of honor and her ensuing speech as well.
This is WILD 😭
A certain Kathlyn Joy S. Poblete claimed to have graduated in UPM Pol Sci program with Juris Doctor and Best Research Awards. This girl also claimed to have been attending UPM College of Law (a nonexistent college in UP Manila).
1/3 https://t.co/3CJRIXinkJ pic.twitter.com/jW2jrCPi5E
— kingsley (@kngslyjhn) August 2, 2021
In the video clip, the individual in question also has sketchy academic recognitions.
These included allegedly earning a summa cum laude at UP Manila’s Political Science program, and being a supposed college scholar at CSU.
The incident eventually reached both institutions.
Not affiliated with them
In a statement on August 2, UP Manila’s Department of Social Science and the Political Science Program where it is part of denied any affiliation with Poblete after checking with their records.
“The UP Manila Political Science Program categorically denies any affiliations with Ms. Poblete. The Office of the University Registrar has no records of Ms. Poblete ever attending the University,” they said.
They noted that they only have one Summa Cum Laude under their program, Ms. Georgina Mia B. Gato who graduated in 2019.
Moreover, they also clarified that they do not have some of the awards Poblete claimed she received.
“We do not have any ‘Juris Doctor’s’ award or ‘Best in Research’ award. There is also no College of Law in UP Manila,” they said.
“The University is currently investigation this matter and is coordination with all institutions involved,” they added.
The CSU likewise issued a clarification on the same day. After checking their records, the provincial university found out that Poblete studied there for three semesters only.
“As per our records, Ms. Poblete has been enrolled in our AB Political Science program for three semesters only, AY 2018-2019 and the first semester of 2019-2020,” CSU said.
“She is neither a college scholar nor a dean’s lister,” it added.
The university also denied she transferred to another school, citing no request for official documents found.
“The University strongly upholds the tenets of truth, excellence and service and is willing to cooperate should there be an investigation regarding this matter,” CSU said.
Everything was falsified
A professor from UP Manila named Alvin Dizon Campomanes also denounced the entire introductory spiel of Poblete in the graduation ceremony as merely fabricated.
“Sa madaling salita, inimbentong lahat ni Kathleen ang credentials niya. Nameke rin siya ng mga anunsyo, dokumento, at pirma ng University officials. Napakatinding insulto nito sa mga institusyon at sa publiko,” Campomanes said.
Amid the ongoing probe about the woman, it seemed she did more than just faking her credentials.
Twitter user @sans_lucio shared an anecdote about how Poblete allegedly pretended to be his sister for years.
His family had also reported her to the National Bureau of Investigation.
“A year ago, this person was caught pretending to be my sister. She has dated lots of men under my sister’s identity and has been doing so for years. We have irrefutable evidence against her and have reported it to the NBI but nothing has happened since,” the user wrote in the thread.
There is no update on the case as of press time.