Court allows PUP president to stay

MANILA, Philippines - The Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) has allowed Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) president Dante Guevarra to remain in his current position after it granted a writ of preliminary injunction that stopped former rebel and priest Edicio dela Torre from replacing him.

Manila RTC Branch 26 Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. directed the respondents “to maintain the status quo ante wherein the petitioner (Guevarra) continues to act as PUP president in a holdover capacity.”

Dela Torre was to supposed to sit as the state university’s officer-in-charge last July 6, or two days after his appointment, but was stopped when Pampilo extended last July 18 for another 17 days the temporary restraining order on the PUP Board of Regent’s (BOR) appointment of De la Torre. The TRO expired July 25.

Dela Torre temporarily replaced Guevarra, whose four-year term ended July 5. Guevarra’s appointment was not renewed by the BOR after he failed to get a perfect score of 10 in the assessment of his performance by the school’s evaluation committee.

Pampilo gave weight to the testimony of the university’s graduate school dean Amalia Rosales, who criticized the Board of Regents for appointing Dela Torre and not including her and other officials in the search process for the presidency.