LINGAYEN– The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) decided to hold in abeyance a proposed resolution seeking to declare Pangasinan State University (PSU) president Dexter Buted persona non grata.

This was decided during a closed-door meeting of the provincial board members to discuss the proposed resolution filed by Fourth District Board Member Jeremy Rosario, seconded by Second District Board Member Raul Sison, that seeks to declare Buted persona non grata in Pangasinan on account of  the continuous refusal of PSU officials to appear before the SP’s fact-finding inquiry looking in into the alleged anomalous implementation of the university’s on-the-job training (OJT) program for graduating students.

Rosario, in a privilege speech last Monday, the continued failure of the PSU officials led by Buted, to appear despite the series of official invitations extended to PSU.

The first invitation to attend the fact-finding investigation in aid of legislation was in early July. It was followed by two more weeks after.

PSU offered as excuses the start of classes in July, the “ongoing” parallel investigation by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) regional office, and finally, the advice of the PSU’s board of regents disallowing officials to attend the hearings.

The SP finally invited the PSU to the body’s Question Hour last Oct. 3 but again, no one from PSU appeared.

Rosario said he agreed to suspend action on his proposed resolution seeking to declare Buted persona non grata in Pangasinan for one week pending the finalization of the committee report on the matter.

Board Members Noel Bince and Liberato Villegas were reportedly reluctant to support the measure till a committee report by the ad hoc body is out.

Rosario said they will push for the approval of his resolution if the PSU officials continue to snub the SP invitations because it is a “patent disrespect to the highest policy making body in Pangasinan and might create a precedent with many other future invitees of the SP.”

Rosario said the OJT program of PSU was found irregular after graduating students were made to go through two layers of companies before they were made to report to InterPhil Laboratories in Laguna where they were made to work  as ordinary laborers, and not as OJTs.

One of the 43 students sent by PSU to InterPhil, Dahrel De la Cruz, became ill allegedly due to exposure to various chemicals. He was present at the Oct.  3 session to answer questions during the Question Hour but this was put off in the absence of PSU officials.

Rosario said he wondered why De la Cruz and his classmates were sent to a company for OJT whose business is not related to their studies as business administration majors.

Initial investigation by the ad hoc body showed the graduating PSU students from PSU San Carlos and Bayambang were sent to JIF Referral Agency through its owner Joyce I. FInuliar, which in turn endorsed to Bionic Care Manpower Services that processed them as work applicants for Interphil Laboratories. (Leonardo Micua)

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