Student goes to court vs Letran execs

A graduating high school student has filed a P3-million damage suit in the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) against one of the oldest and more conservative Catholic schools in Manila for allegedly dismissing him and 29 others on unproved allegations that they were members of a fraternity which they claimed were not true.

Together with is parents, Emerson Chester Kim Go also asked Judge Antonio Fineza to issue a preliminary mandatory injunction in order to reinstate him and 29 others back into the rolls of the high school department of the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Manila, run by Filipino Dominicans (Order of Preachers).

Included in the 15-page complaint were Fr. Edwin Lao OP, Letran Rector; Fr. Jose Rhommel Hernandez OP, Prefect of Discipline; Alberto Rosarda, Assistant Prefect of Discipline; Ma. Teresa Suratos, high school principal; Victoria Ramos, class adviser and Vilma Lizada, Secretary to the Rector.

Kim’s parents, Eugene and Angelita Go, residing on 7th Avenue, Caloocan City, said that they have been making appeals to the respondents to reconsider their "harsh and unjust" decision explaining that their son, who is due to graduate this March, has never been a fraternity member. The Gos claimed that their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. – Jerry Botial