NBI report on exam leakage out Oct. 15 — PRC

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) might come up with the results of its investigation on the alleged leakage in last June’s licensure examination for nursing by Oct. 15, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said yesterday.

However, PRC Chairwoman Leonor Rosero said in case the NBI finds any review center involved in the leakage, the PRC does not have any authority to close it down.

But she said the PRC could revoke the licenses of registered nurses who own or run the review centers.

"We’re waiting for the NBI report," she said. "We’ll observe due process."

The PRC had created a fact-finding body to investigate the leakage, but it went only as far as identifying Board of Nursing (BON) examiners Anesia Dionisio and Virginia Madeja as the source of the manuscripts that have allegedly been leaked.

The body had recommended the filing of administrative charges against the two.

The tasks of identifying the other perpetrators and establishing the criminal aspect of the case were passed on to the NBI.

Nursing leaders like Dr. Marilyn Lorenzo, director of the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Health Policy and Development Studies, had wanted the NBI to establish the culpability of review centers involved in the irregularity.

In the PRC investigation, the name of R.A. Gapuz Review Center cropped up because the leaked manuscripts allegedly found their way to some of its reviewers.

The NBI is also investigating the review center Institute for Review and Special Studies and its owner, resigned Philippine Nurses Association president George Cordero.

Cordero allegedly organized an "enhancement class" before the examinations at a movie house in Manila where the leaked questions were supposed to have been flashed on screen. — Sheila Crisostomo