Just when the Thomasian community needed them for representation, they quit.

Six candidates for the upcoming Central Student Council (CSC) elections withdrew their candidacies, according to the Central Commission on Elections on Wednesday, March 20.

“We find ourselves compelled to take a principled stand against participating in a system resistant to reform. We call on the University and its officials to investigate and address these issues with utmost urgency,” the six former candidates–Timothy John Santiago, John Matthew Enriquez, Hannah Patricia Calara, Hanah Lauren de Leon, Josh Kenn Viray, and Francine Tuazon–said in a joint statement.

Santiago ran for presidency, Enriquez for the vice-presidential post, Calara for secretary, de Leon for the treasurer position, Viray for auditor, and Tuazon for public relations officer.

TomasinoWeb has reached out to three of the six former candidates for additional questions, but none of them have replied to our requests.

While the six bets promised to uphold student rights when they filed their candidacies, all of them urged the Thomasian community to demand change by “refusing to participate in a dysfunctional and oppressive system.”

They explained that the CSC officers are unable to perform their duties as they are prevented from pursuing dialogue on issues such as the revision of the CSC constitution, as well as the implementation of the Magna Carta for Students.

The former bets said they have come to a conclusion that “meaningful change within the existing system is elusive.”

“It is now evident that we are vying for positions where we are prevented from fulfilling our duty of representing our fellow students and providing the Thomasian community with the service that they deserve,” they added.

Only Stephan Aseron, a candidate for auditor, remains as the lone bet for the upcoming election, scheduled from April 22 to 27. The canvassing of votes and announcement of elected student-leaders will be on April 27.