AGNO VALLEY COLLEGE OWNERSHIP

MALASIQUI – The Supreme Court has issued a decision awarding a controlling stake in Agno Valley College to spouses Jevie “Jebong” de Guzman and Amelia de Guzman.

In a ruling handed down recently, the country’s highest court affirmed an earlier decision of the Court of Appeals ordering the school and its board of directors to register the de Guzman couple’s 82 shares of stock, which represent 50% of the total shares and a controlling stake in the private academic institution located in this town.

“The latest Supreme Court affirmation will definitely change the composition of the members of the board of directors,” said De Guzman, adding, “We are looking forward to a court-supervised election in December or January. With our majority ownership, we will definitely control the school and we are hoping that things will be peaceful during the election.”

The present officers of the Agno Valley College who sit as board members are Osmundo Lambino, president; Gil Quenano, vice president; Rosario Monuz, secretary; and Felicitas Soriano, treasurer. Other members of the board are Alfie Soriano, Teofilo Sison, and Macario Frias.

De Guzman has appealed to Mayor Alfonso Soriano and Vice Mayor Osmundo Lambino of the town of Malasiqui “to set aside political authority on the matter since this is a private school.” He said “it was a long search for justice for us and the case caused my family harassment and long suffering.”

The ownership battle started in 2001 when the board cancelled the 82 shares of the de Guzmans, who, in turn, brought the case before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Urdaneta City.

In an order dated September 15, 2003, Judge Alicia Gonzales-Decano of Branch 48 of the RTC denied the petition of De Guzman couple for lack of merit.

On November 3, 2003, the couple appealed the decision of the RTC before the Court of Appeals. On March 22, 2005, the Fourth Division of the Court of Appeals under Associate Justices Delilah Vidallon-Magtolis, Perlita J. Tria Tirona and Jose C. Reyes Jr reversed the decision of theRTC and ordered the Agno Valley College to register the shares of stocks in question.

Agno Valley College then filed a Petition for Review at the Supreme Court with regards to the Court of Appeals ruling. On June 5, 2006, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition and on August 28, 2006, the Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals in favor of the de Guzmans.

The de Guzman couple was represented by Atty. Maximo Fajardo and Atty. Michael Macaraeg with collaborating lawyer Atty. Joselino Viray.

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