“There’s no guarantee. I think there’s no guarantee.” Castillo* (III, LIM-CRW), a Malate Literary Folio (MLF) staffer, laments after being asked whether his stolen Canon EOS R50 would be returned along with his camera bag, SD cards, charging ports, and other equipment, all amounting to at least P80,000.
“It was a bit stressful knowing that I [am not] privileged to replace [the] camera, knowing [that] it was a gift to me,” he continues.
Marked as sold
Between May and August 2025, members of different Student Media Groups (SMGs) reported four missing-camera incidents on the fifth floor of Br. Connon Hall, which houses organizations under the Student Media Office (SMO) and Culture and Arts Office (CAO).
In a turn of events, Castillo discovered a camera similar to his on Facebook Marketplace. He pretended to be a buyer, recalling that each camera has a specific product number. Castillo requested that the seller take a picture of the product number. Once the seller sent him the photo, it matched the number on his camera’s box. He immediately filed a report to the Student Discipline Formation Office (SDFO).
This case was not isolated.
Former Managing Editor of The LaSallian and former Student Media Council (SMC) Vice Chairperson Meijie Ureta details that The LaSallian’s organization camera, a Canon EOS R8, went missing in the Student Media House. She noted that the camera was last taken from the SMO on May 7 for a coverage before the incident. Upon checking the SDFO’s lost-and-found unit, the camera was not there either. Instead, it was found and already sold on Facebook Marketplace.
Editor in Chief of MLF and former SMC Chairperson Sky Serafica experienced the first reported incident of a missing camera from May 15 to 16, months before Castillo’s camera was stolen in August 2025. Based on Serafica’s report, the camera, used for the annual recruitment week, was left overnight in the publication’s office and was gone by the time the owner attempted to retrieve it.
Two weeks later, a staffer-owned camera from Archers Network (ARCH) went missing from the production room adjacent to the student media house. Former ARCH President and former SMC Secretary Alyssa Clemente confirms the camera’s disappearance, but notes that the ARCH staffer did not attempt to file a formal report. It remains unknown whether these are connected to the previous cases.
Serafica states that the cases were outside the SMC’s jurisdiction as they developed into a University offense. Under Section 5.3.1.13 of the 2021-2025 University Student Handbook, “Unjust enrichment; stealing, whether attempted, frustrated, or consummated; or failure to turn over items to the SDFO Lost and Found Section” is a major offense.
Castillo filed a case against the individual in question, but the issue lies in the speed of the process. He shared that “hearings were booked until February.”
“We’ve seen him routinely scouting and scouring from [the] second to [the] fifth floor. That concerns me because it can still happen right now…it can still happen tomorrow. Wala pang nangyayaring punishment,” he shares. The individual in question was identified as not having been part of any SMGs or CAO organizations.
(There is still no punishment happening.)
A friend of Castillo noticed that even when the case was filed against him, the suspect continued to actively list items.
Castillo says the student blocked him and removed previous Facebook listings after he, too, was notified of the hearing. According to Serafica, Castillo was able to file the case since “they’re the only person with concrete evidence that it’s their stolen camera.”
“If [the case] is not resolved, they can just kind of slip under the radar and be able to graduate without being accountable.“ Serafica underlines.
Uncertainty moving forward
Castillo still considers filing a case in court, as the school will help provide the evidence for the case. Initially, he filed reports to the police and the barangay, but heeded the University’s advice, which was “to wait for the proceedings of La Salle.” He stated that other responsibilities hindered his ability to focus on reports and cases. Thus, there were no follow-ups from the initial reports outside the school.
The recommendation now was that Castillo file a case with the police again, so that even if the suspect were to graduate, he would still have a case against them outside the University. Serafica stated that the suspect’s clearance is currently being held.
The LaSallian’s former Editor in Chief Amanda Palmera, along with the publication’s Intermedia and Photo editors, filed a missing report and requested access to security footage from the fifth floor. At that time, only two cameras were available for review during the investigation. Unfortunately, both security cameras on the fifth floor of the building were inoperative during the initial incidents of missing cameras in May, as pointed out by Serafica.
“Ganito katagal ‘yung justice [r]ito sa college na ito. It’s a bit concerning knowing that there are people like this around that intend to gain profit from malicious action,” Castillo said.
(This is how long justice takes in this college…)
Serafica highlighted that each SMG is provided with a set of lockers for staffers to store their belongings, noting that they are not allowed to leave valuable items in the media house. This responsibility also falls on each of the SMG’s office managers. However, this is difficult to enforce as most of the items are owned by staffers.
Requests for a CCTV camera were logistically difficult. Serafica mentioned that this would not be covered by the security office, as a CCTV camera inside the office would need to be operated by someone in the SMO.
Incidents like these highlight potential gaps in the building’s security protocols and raise questions about whether existing systems, processes, and resources are adequate to protect student organizations within the University. Until these questions of accountability are clearly addressed, the safety and security of student spaces remain uncertain. Likewise, the responsibility of protecting their own belongings also falls on the students, as repeatedly reminded by the SDFO through Help Desk Announcements.
The LaSallian reached out to the Student Disciplinary and Formation Office, but the publication has not received a response as of press time. All cases undergo due process, and the resolutions, in any case, are kept highly confidential. The case filer requested that the name of the individual in question be kept private.
*Names in asterisks are pseudonyms.
This article was published in The LaSallian’s March 2026 issue. To read more, visit bit.ly/TLSMar2026.
