Palace suspends freeze order against SWU-CM

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the President has ordered the suspension of the resolutions of the Commission on Higher Education that recognized the Southwestern University-Matias H. Aznar Memorial (SWU-MHAM) as the institution to run the school’s medical program.

With this, the Southwestern University College of Medicine (SWU-CM) is now pushing through with its plans, including the renovations of its medical building next year, as part of its commitment to promote the general welfare of the students.

In a letter dated August 13, Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Menardo Guevarra ordered the stay of execution of the CHED resolutions dated June 9, 2014 and December 17-18, 2014 and the cease-and-desist order it issued against SWU-CM. 

“…the execution of the Resolutions subject of this appeal are hereby stayed during the pendency of the appeal, unless otherwise directed by this Office,” the order read.

While its appeal is still pending, the SWU prayed to the Office of the President to “issue an order directing CHED to respect the OP Rules providing for automatic and stay of execution of the CHED Resolutions and to cease and desist from further implementing, and wrongly implementing the same.”

CHED executive director lawyer Julio Vitriolo, representing the Commission en Banc (CEB), issued on June 2 a memorandum denying the motion for reconsideration and the cease-and-desist order against SWU-CM.

The order bars SWU-CM from accepting medical students at all levels for lack of necessary government permit and further acknowledges SWU-MHAM as the duly recognized school.

SWU Chair of the Board Dr. Chito Salazar said the order from the Office of the President simply means that the resolutions and cease-and-desist order of CHED against the acceptance of the College of Medicine students cannot be implemented.

He further cited that the stay order also suspends the petition for interpleader filed by CHED before the Regional Trial Court to compel the two institutions to settle the ownership rights and claims.

“This stay order means that even if assumed that the CHED CDO is directed against SWU itself, the said CDO cannot be implemented and all actions continuing to implement the same will be illegal and contemptuous of the Office of the President,” he said.

Salazar added the stay order only reinforces SWU’s right to continue to offer the medical program.

“Given this stay order, we call on all parties to, in a spirit of reconciliation and compassion, to allow the students, who are victims of conflicts not of their own doing, to continue to pursue their education as they see fit, free of anxiety and any and all forms of harassment,” he said.

According to Salazar, CHED has filed a motion for reconsideration before the Office of the President, asserting that the latter does not have jurisdiction over the former.

The FREEMAN tried to reach CHED but failed to get a statement.

Salazar then advised the SWU medical students who have been affected with the legal controversy to focus on their studies and let the administration worry about the matter.

He said they are even planning to renovate the medical building and update the medical equipment next year.  (FREEMAN)