Matapos itanggi ng University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman na nagtapos sa kanilang College of Law si Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, pina­bulaanan din ng Prince­ton University na gra­duate ito sa naturang eskwelahan na nakabase sa Estados Unidos.

“Filipino governor, senate candidate falsely claims to have graduated from U,” pamagat ng balitang lumabas nitong Pebrero 26 sa website ng the Daily Princetonian, ang independent student newspaper ng nasabing unibersidad.

“Imee Marcos, a current candidate for a Phi­lippine Senate position and the daughter of former Filipino President Ferdinand E. Marcos, says she graduated from the University in 1979. Although she enrolled in the University in 1973, no record shows that she graduated,” ayon pa sa student newspaper ng Princeton.

Binanggit ng natu­rang pahayagan na nakasaad sa biography ni Marcos na naka-post sa kanyang official Facebook account na kabilang siya sa “first female graduates from an Ivy League School — Princeton University, graduating with honors.” Nakasaad din umano ang naturang impormasyon sa official curriculum vitae ni Marcos noong miyembro pa ito ng Mababang Kapulu­ngan ng Kongreso.

Batay umano sa e-mail ni University De­puty Spokesman Michael Hotchkiss sa The Daily Princetonian, nag-aral si Marcos ng Religion and Politics sa Princeton noong 1973 hanggang 1976 at bumalik noong 1977 hanggang 1979, pero wala itong record na nagtapos sa naturang unibersidad.

“Our records do not show that Ms. Marcos was awarded a degree,” ayon kay Hotchkiss.

Sinabi pa ng student newspaper na ang mga litratong lumabas sa Facebook account ni Marcos noong Pebrero 15 kung saan ipinakita ang diumano’y imbitasyon sa kanya para sa Princeton Class of 1979 reunion ay hindi makumpirma.

“The validity of the invitation, which was ­dated August 2018, has not been confirmed,” ayon pa sa student newspaper.

Binanggit din na hindi “average student” si ­Marcos sa Princeton.

“Records show that Marcos was not an ave­rage student during her time at the University. In a letter from Philippine Consul General Ernesto C. Pineda to Dean of Student Affairs Adele S. Simmons dated July 30, 1973, Pineda described different accommodations that would be arranged for Marcos. She would live off campus, be escorted by Philippine security personnel, and be driven to and from campus by a Filipino chauffeur,” saad pa sa student newspaper.

May lumabas din umanong artikulo sa ‘Prince’ noong Setyembre 11, 1973 kung saan nagprotesta ang Asian-American Student Association (AASA) kung bakit tinanggap ng Prince­ton si Marcos dahil nag-aalala ang mga mag-aaral sa presensya nito at ng kanyang security personnel.

“The AASA worried that the presence of Marcos and her security personnel would be threatening to students who were critical of her father’s government,” ayon pa sa student newspaper.