DELAY IN SUSPENSION HIT

LINGAYEN—The provincial board not only deplored the undue delay in the implementation of the nine-month suspension slapped by the Office of the Ombudsman on Pangasinan State University (PSU) president Dexter Buted owing to the continuous failure of the PSU Board of Regents to muster a quorum in its meetings, but also deplored the efforts of Buted to lobby for a second term as well.

In a privilege speech delivered on March 5, Fourth District Provincial Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario revealed that despite the suspension order, Buted is reportedly making the rounds among mayors soliciting their endorsements for him to be given a second term as PSU president.

Rosario cited three provincial resolutions unanimously approved by the board that castigated Buted: Resolution No. 212-2018 “(Strongly urging the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and/or the Board of Regents of the Pangasinan State University to immediately implement the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman in OMB-L-A-16-0318); Resolution No. 213-2018, (“Strongly opposing any extension of term of office of Pangasinan State University President Dexter R. Buted): and Resolution No. 214-2018(“Respectfully requesting the Office of the Ombudsman to inquire from the Commission on Higher Education and/or the Board of Regents of the Pangasinan State University of the suspension order meted out to President Dexter R. Buted).”

Gov. Amado I. Espino III had sent letters dated March 1, 2018 to the members of the provincial board as well as to the 44 town mayors and three city mayors of Pangasinan enjoining them not to endorse or recommend Buted for another term as PSU president.

In his letter, Espino enumerated four reasons: Dr. Buted has four complaints under investigation by the Ombudsman in addition to an on-going investigation in Congress for supposed atrocities he committed; the Ombudsman suspended Buted on November 17, 2017 for nine moths for oppression, and arbitrarily dismissed a faculty member, Ricardo Tapia, and withheld his salary.

In a resolution dated October 17, 2016, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan also declared Dr. Buted as persona non grata in the province due to alleged irregularities committed in the school’s On the Job Training (OJT) program, specifically, for his unfair treatment of the faculty members and personnel and allowing PSU to be used for partisan political activities, for disregarding legal and official invitation by the legislative body of Pangasinan.

The governor said he felt constrained to issue the advisory against a recommendation for Dr. Buted’s second term at PSU president given the past actions taken against him.

Espino said the continuous presence of Buted as president of the university would mean total disregard to the country’s justice system and the future of the province, as well, which he added “Pangasinenses must never allow this to happen”. (Leonardo Micua)

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