No word on suspension order yet

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – There is still no official statement from the Negros Oriental State University administration on the preventive suspension of its president, Doctor Don Vicente Real, and as such, he still remains in his position.

Marx Iturralde, NORSU spokesperson and head of the university's information office, on Tuesday said Real still has "to receive a copy of the suspension order," referring to the decision of the board of regents during its meeting last Friday in Manila.

"That being the case, the president is still president until the order is served," Iturralde said.

The Board of Regents last Friday decided to impose a 90-day preventive suspension against Real following the recommendations of the Office of the Solicitor General, which last month came to the province to conduct an investigation on a number of allegations raised against Real.

The preventive suspension of Real, as well as of two other NORSU employees-Dr. Letecia Trayvilla, campus director of NORSU Bayawan-Santa Catalina campus, and Mark Angel Crusio, campus accountant of NORSU BSC-stemmed from alleged irregularities in the procurement of a multi-million pesos speech laboratory for the NORSU campus in southern Negros Oriental.

The OSG recommended to the NORSU board of regents, based on preliminary investigation findings, the filing of an administrative charge against Real for grave misconduct, dishonesty, falsification of public or official documents and gross dishonesty.

The OSG also recommended that Trayvilla and Crusio be administratively charged with "dishonesty for falsity in the acquisition of the speech laboratory facility."

In its findings, the OSG noted that the acquisition of the facility did not go through the correct procedures such as public bidding.

Meanwhile, the BOR has named Dr. Peter Dayot, vice president for administration, planning and development as officer-in-charge of NORSU.

Dayot had earlier announced his withdrawal of support to Real and his administration after several issues were raised against the NORSU president, on top of the "controversial" speech laboratory acquisition.

Some of the allegations against Real, which he disproved during a press conference and during media interviews, was the suspension of Roche Cabanlit, president of the NORSU Faculty Association, the withholding of salary of a faculty member and the deferment of the NORSU budget.

Calls were sounded by faculty, staff and students for Real to step down from the presidency and, last Friday, a prayer meeting was held by the same group at the Freedom Park for peace to prevail in the university and for the truth to come out.