CA junks plea vs ex-PLM head’s suspension

MANILA, Philippines – The Court of Appeals (CA) has put closure to the case involving the preventive suspension of former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) president Artemio Toquero last year.

In a decision released earlier this week, the CA’S Special 14th Division dismissed the petition of the former justice secretary and retired CA justice questioning the preventive suspension order issued against him by the school board last year.

“The petition has been rendered moot and academic by virtue of petitioner’s resignation, which has been expressly accepted by the appointing authority,” read the ruling penned by Associate Justice Danton Bueser.

The CA opted not to rule on questions on the legality of the suspension order issued by the PLM board on Sept.5, 2014, citing the resignation of Toquero in the same month.

Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr. and Victoria Isabel Paredes concurred. 

Tuquero was appointed to the PLM Board by Mayor Joseph Estrada in July 2013.  His appointment was confirmed by the city council of Manila.

But days after his appointment, the school board received a complaint against him filed by professor Gilmore Solidum for grave misconduct, immorality, incapacity, incompetence and dishonesty. 

The PLM Board in September last year issued a resolution placing Tuquero under preventive suspension. 

Tuquero immediately filed a petition with the CA alleging that the board acted with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of jurisdiction when it issued the resolution. He claimed that the board has no power or authority, under the PLM charter, to suspend or remove the school president.