Mapua to investigate professor accused of extortion

The Mapua Institute of Technology is conducting its own investigation following the arrest of one of its professors for allegedly extorting money and favors from two students, the college said in a statement.

Bonifacio Doma Jr., Mapua’s executive vice president for academic affairs, assured the public and their students of the school’s commitment to academic excellence and would look into the case and make appropriate action.

The NBI is set to file charges of robbery-extortion and physical injury against 33-year-old professor Rudy Mortera before the Manila City Prosecutor’s Office.

Doma said the NBI can expect full cooperation from Mapua in the investigation. The MIT "condemns in the strongest possible terms" Mortera’s alleged misdeeds.

"The institute likewise reiterates that it will safeguard the welfare of its students and will never condone behavior that is detrimental to their safety and well-being," he added.

Doma said he has immediately "convened an investigative committee, composed of members of both the faculty and the administration, to look into the matter and determine the proper sanctions to be imposed, where warranted, on the erring party."

He also encouraged other students who may have been victims or have knowledge on Mortera’s extortion racket to come forward. "The institute calls upon all persons who may have knowledge or information on the matter to assist the committee establishing the relevant facts."

Mechanical engineering students Rolando de Matta Jr. and Arthur Contreras have accused Mortera of extorting money from them and exacting favors.

According to De Matta, Mortera has been allegedly asking him for favors since Jan. 11 such as spending for his food. De Matta was once asked to refill a cartridge for a computer printer that cost him P400, and develop 80 pictures from Mortera’s digital camera that cost more than P1,600.

Contreras, on the other hand, was asked by Mortera to chauffer him to and from Pampanga. The student spent for the gasoline and tollway fees.

Mortera had also reportedly demanded that they each give P5,000 in exchange for a passing grade.

Contreras and De Matta said they tolerated the abuse until Feb. 20 when Mortera punched them in the body during an examination when he became suspicious that the two were spreading rumors about him.

NBI agents then arranged a sting operation on Feb. 28 in which the students would supposedly hand Mortera the money outside the school campus.