|
The $130-million kickback allegedly demanded by former Comelec
chairman Benjamin Abalos is about 18 times the total income of the
Central Mindanao University (CMU) in 2006. CMU transactions are
peanuts. Nobody is getting snatched. But several persons, inside and
outside of campus, have been killed over the years. Located in
Musuan, Bukidnon, the Mindanao Agricultural College became Central
Mindanao State University in 1965. The university boasts of passing
rates above national averages in chemistry, veterinary medicine,
forestry, nutrition dietetics, and agriculture, among others.
Students have competed successfully in international and national
scientific contests, and a number of alumni are recipients of
various national honors and awards ( Wikipedia.org).
The land, on which CMU stands, continues to be
subject of controversy. A portion is being claimed by farmers
organized by Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. However, the Supreme
Court ruled that the land isn’t subject to agrarian reform. A
lease agreement between the farmers and CMU expired last year.
Another claim comes from the indigenous people
who inhabited the area before it was given by the national
government to CMU. The present university leaders are waging a harsh
policy of intimidation on the tribal people, a local journalist told
me. There have been killings, starting in the 1990s. We have lost
count, the journalist said. Somebody has kept count: 20 people have
died since July 1999, the time Dr. Lao assumed as president. Six of
the 20 were executives of CMU and four of them suddenly died from
sickness. Two were shot dead. 14 victims were reported to have been
killed by the university’s security personnel, the last of these
killings happened on November 15, 2007. Dr. Porferio Balanday,
CMU’s vice president for administration, was shot dead last
November 12. A female suspect has told the National Bureau of
Investigation that she was paid P50,000 to kill Dr. Balanday. Four
days before he was killed, he had expressed support for the
indigenous people’s land claim.
That the land conflicts are considered serious
issues by the university is evidenced in the weight they were given
by the Board of Regents in deciding on Dr. Lao’s request to have
his term as university president extended. In the excerpts from the
minutes of the meeting of the CMU Board of Regents during which Dr.
Lao’s desire for an extension was discussed, the land issue is
emphasized twice while other specific concerns or issues are not
mentioned at all, making it appear that the extension of “a leader
who is familiar with the situation and the history of the [land]
issues” is premised purely on this particular concern.
The Board of Regents did not make a decision
during that meeting but formed a committee whose task it was to
“evaluate the status of the accomplishments of the University
under the leadership of Dr. Lao.” The evaluation committee was
given a P100,000 budget and 20 days to come up with its report.
On March 19, 2007, four months before the
expiration of his term of office, Dr. Lao took his oath of office
before CHED Commissioner Saturnino Ocampo Jr., the same day that the
latter made the appointment and the same day that Board of Regents
came out with its resolution endorsing Dr. Lao’s extension.
One can only speculate as to whether the
findings of the Commission on Audit were ever discussed in
connection with Dr. Lao’s extension. For the year 2006, COA found
numerous deficiencies in the way CMU conducted its financial
transactions. The COA report lists 21 of the more significant
deficiencies such as honoraria to regents exceeding the allowable
rates, apparently fabricated documents supporting payments for pest
control services, unauthorized incentive pay to board examiners, and
splitting of supply contracts that made it appear that the
university had attempted to avoid competitive bidding.
CMU continues to impress outsiders with its high
passing rates in board exams and outstanding faculty and
researchers.
But the deaths, the land dispute and faculty
unrest will have to be addressed.
|
.jpg)
