CA sustains dismissal of raps vs CHED exec

CEBU, Philippines — The Court of Appeals in Cebu has affirmed the dismissal of the complaint for grave misconduct filed by the Mandaue City College against an official of the Commission on Higher Education in Cagayan De Oro City, who issued a public notice against the school.

Associate Justice Remedios Salazar-Fernando denied MCC President Dr. Paulus Mariae Cañete’s motion for reconsideration for lack of merit. Cañete earlier charged CHED Region 10 Director Zenaida Gersana with grave misconduct before the Civil Service Commission. The complaint was dismissed, prompting Cañete to bring the matter before the appellate court.

On September 20, 2017, the Court of Appeals sustained the CSC ruling and dismissed the petition, which Cañete sought to be reversed.

"All told, petitioner failed to advance any cogent reason for this court to reconsider its findings. There being no substantial argument which would warrant the modification much less the reversal of the court's September 20, 2017 decision, petitioner's motion for reconsideration is hereby denied for lack of merit," the court ruled.

The case stemmed from a notice to the public issued by Gersana on June 26, 2015. The notice warned the public that the academic degree program of MCC is illegal and will not be recognized by the CHED. In the same notice, Gersana said all graduates of MCC board programs will not be allowed to take any licensure examinations.

Gersana said her advice to the public was based from the notice issued by then CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan. On July 4, 2011, Licuanan also issued a notice informing the public that MCC refused to comply with the closure order.

 The notice was issued to protect the interests of the students enrolled in MCC campuses in Barangays Tipolo and Jagobiao in Mandaue City; and in its extension campuses in the municipalities of Isabel, Merida, and Villaba in the Province of Leyte. — FPL (FREEMAN)