MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/19 May 2026)– Nearly 20 years after 16-year-old University of Southeastern Philippines student Cheryl Sarate died from burns suffered during a campus beauty pageant in Davao City, the Supreme Court En Banc upheld the university’s liability for negligence that led to her death. In a 46-page decision promulgated on November 25, 2025 and uploaded to the Supreme Court website on May 14, 2026, the Court ordered USeP and its former officials to pay ₱6.45 million in damages and indemnity to Cheryl’s parents, Antonio and Rosita Sarate, citing the school’s failure to exercise proper diligence and adequate fire safety measures. The ruling reinforced the legal duty of schools to exercise “special parental authority” over students and underscored institutional accountability for safety failures during school-related activities. On July 20, 2006, the Guild of English Students (Guild) organized the “Lady and Lord of Utopia” beauty pageant inside the university social hall in Davao City. Cheryl Sarate, 16, joined the competition wearing a highly flammable “snow fairy” costume. While posing on the runway, her gown caught fire, leading to third-degree burns over 80% of her body. She died three days later on July 23, 2006, due to cardiac arrest from septic shock caused by the burns. Cheryl’s parents filed a civil action for damages against USeP, university administrators, and the Guild, alleging negligence in supervising the event, implementing fire safety measures, and failing to prepare for emergencies. On October 7, 2014, the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 11 in Davao City ruled that USeP officials and faculty adviser Professor Catherine Roble were jointly and severally liable for Cheryl’s death. However, on December 22, 2014, the RTC partially reversed itself, absolving USeP and its officials and holding only Professor Roble liable. The Sarate spouses appealed, and on August 31, 2018, the Court of Appeals reinstated USeP’s liability, ruling that the pageant was effectively authorized and that the university failed to exercise proper diligence. USeP filed a Motion for Reconsideration, which was denied on May 23, 2019. The university then elevated the case to the Supreme Court, which affirmed USeP’s liability on November 25, 2025, citing “collective negligence” and failure to implement adequate fire safety measures. The Court ordered USeP and its former officials to pay ₱6.45 million in damages, including ₱1 million in exemplary damages. The decision was uploaded to the Supreme Court website on May 14, 2026, nearly 20 years after the fatal incident. From the July 20, 2006 fire incident to the public release of the Supreme Court ruling in May 2026, the Sarate case spanned nearly 20 years through the Philippine judicial system. (Walter I. Balane/ MindaNews)
