The Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines is accused of turning a blind eye while being aware of the bullying incidents involving its junior high school student Joaquin Montes. Rumors claim that the teenager’s family has a connection to politician Jose “Peping” Sumulong Cojuangco Jr.
But the rumors and accusations turn out to be unfounded. Still, Filipinos who hate the politician took it as an opportunity to demonize him.
The controversy started when videos of Montes bullying schoolmates in Ateneo de Manila University went viral on December 20, 2018. Aside from the school’s reputation as a school for children from families of higher socio-economic status, what made the situation even more controversial was the fact that the teenage bully is a taekwondo practitioner.
On the same day when the viral videos went viral, Cojuangco’s daughter Regina Patricia “China” Jose Cojuangco-Gonzalez was quick to respond to the allegations involving her father. She took to Twitter to deny the connection of her father to Montes’s family.
A brother of the late former president Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, Peping was the mayor of Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines from 1959 to 1961 and the representative of the first district of Tarlac from 1961 to 1969 and from 1987 to 1998. He served as the Philippine Olympic Committee president from January 2005 to March 2018.
Peping and his wife Margarita “Tingting” de los Reyes Cojuangco have five daughters, the youngest of which is China, who is married to Gino Gonzalez. The other four are Luisita “Liaa” Cojuangco-Bautista, Josephine “Pin” Cojuangco-Guingona, Mikaela “Mikee” Cojuangco-Jaworski and Margarita Demetria “Maimai” Cojuangco-Zini whose respective husbands are Emmanuel Bautista, Francisco Javier Guingona, Robert “Dodot” Jaworski, Jr. and Andrea Zini.
Corazon and Mikee graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University. The latter graduated in 1996 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
On the other hand, China graduated at the Assumption College in Makati City, Metro Manila with a degree in holistic human development and management. She also finished a professional program at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan City, Metro Manila.
CONAN Daily 