DOLE chief orders PRC to explain grade manipulation

Officials of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) are not yet off the hook in the nursing exam scandal.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered yesterday the PRC to explain within five days the alleged manipulation of results of the leakage-tainted nursing licensure test.

Labor Secretary Arturo Brion issued the order to the PRC shortly after DOLE officials found "glaring" discrepancies in the grades of the examinees who took the June 5, 2006 nursing board.

Brion pointed out that the allegation of grade manipulation is a separate issue from the reported leakage-tainted examination that the PRC officials must explain reasonably.

In relation to the leakage, the Department of Justice (DOJ) yesterday gave 18 officials of three nursing review centers 20 days to submit their counter-affidavit.

State Prosecutor Rose Balauag reset to Nov. 29 the preliminary investigation on the nursing leakage.

"There were glaring discrepancies in the grades that PRC needs to explain, obviously there were manipulations," said a labor official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The official noted that from the list submitted by PRC, DOLE reviewed the grades of about 400 examinees and they discovered aberrations in almost 50 percent of the samples. 

Earlier, Brion reported that based on their initial investigation, some of the examinees were included in the list of those who should retake the examination when they actually passed all the subjects.

There were also cases when some of the examinees recorded passing grades and were allowed to take their oath, but when DOLE checked the computation they actually failed the examination.

"The more serious problem here is the fact that some of those who failed were able to take their oath. I think PRC officials who will be found liable in this controversy should resign," the labor official said.

PRC chief Ma. Leonor Rosero has belied allegations of grade manipulation.

According to the labor official, the PRC officials were previously asked about the aberration, but they failed to make justification since they merely noted that their computations were correct.

Counter-affidavits

The DOJ panel of prosecutors headed by Balauag issued the order to submit their counter-affidavits against R.A. Gapuz Review Center owner Ricarte A. Gapuz Jr. along with Evangeline A. Gapuz, Ma. Elena G. Altarejos, Elizabeth G. Iciano, Eleanor Artemia Gapuz, and Jonna Bucud.

From Inress Review Center Inc., named officials are George C. Cordero, Adela Cordero, Jerry Cordero, Corazon Sabado, MacJohn Fabian, Lolita Barlahan, and Eugenia Alcantara.

From Pentagon Review Specialists, Inc., they are Gerald Andamo, lawyer Glenn Luansing, Mike Jimenes, Jerome Balisnomo and Freddie Valdez after they all failed to appear in yesterday’s scheduled preliminary investigation on the nursing controversy.

Balauag yesterday ordered all the legal counsels of the respondents to make sure that their clients will be at the Nov. 29 hearing.

"We will set this hearing again to Nov. 29. Should any of the respondents fail to file their counter-affidavit, we will consider it as a waiver of their right to file counter affidavit," she said.

The State Prosecutor said the panel would not accept counter-affidavits from respondents who will not be present in the hearing.

"The lawyers of all the respondents are directed to secure the attendance of their respective clients on Nov. 29. Each counsel shall be responsible for the attendance of their clients," Balauag said.

She also ordered Regional Director Elfren Meneses Jr. of the National Bureau of Investigation’s anti-fraud and computer crime division to facilitate the serving of subpoenas on all the respondents. — Mayen Jaymalin, Jose Rodel Clapano