MPSPC students crossed the line — Ngalob

By ALMA B. SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — One of the member of the Board of Trustees of the Mountain Province State Polythecnic College (MPSPC) said that the students have gone beyond the so called academic freedom.

According to Juan Ngalob, the students already have crossed the line. “We would like to tell the students that academic freedom, while it is encouraged has also limits,” Ngalob said .

Recently, the students and other members of the faculty is calling for the school to shut down if MPSPC president Nieves Dacyon will not resign.Moreover, Ngalob said that it is an illegal move and he said that they do not have authority to do that.

He added that they already formed a fact finding team that includes the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to look into the matter.

This was also his answer to the allegation of the students that they (BOT) are not acting on the issues. “Their complaints actually was our basis to form the fact finding team,” he said. The chairman of the BOT he said also advised them to take their issues to a proper forum.

The team he added was formed even before the rally that forced Dacyon to sign the resignation letter.

He also expressed the BOT’s continuing support to Dacyon. “I do not see any reason for us not to support her. It is even unlawful not to,” he added.

On the other hand, with regards to the issue raised by the protesters through their placards stating “Dacyon-Ngalob tandem is killing MPSPC”, he said he does not know why they are writing those. “As far as I’m concerned, it is probably part of their academic freedom to write that,” he said. However, he hopes that there will be no slanderous utterances made by the protesters.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Dacyon, she said classes resumed already however, harrassments from the group of protesters led by certain Mila Fana-ang (a member of the community) is continuing. According to her, on Wednesday, July 20, the group are forcing the students and faculty to move out of their classrooms. “Awan pulis tayo till now nga mang-Restore ti order,” (Until now, we have no police to restore the order) she added.

On the other hand, the provincial peace and order council (PPOC) of Mt. Province during their meeting passed a resolution expressing support to the thorough investigation of the grievances raised to them by the faculty and the students. If warranted, they will also support the filing of charges against Dacyon. The PPOC members are requesting that the students will go back to their classrooms while the problem is being addressed and a proper resolution will be achieved. They also advised the protesters to refrain from using the gongs and loud sound systems so as not to disturb offices.

The investigating body according to the PPOC includes the National Bureau of Investigation, Commission on Higher Education, Office of the Ombudsman and the Civil Service Commission. # nordis.net