ELEVEN mechanical engineers were suspended by the Board of Mechanical Engineering of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for unprofessional and dishonorable conduct after their colleague filed a complaint against them.

Businessman and mechanical engineer Antonio Tompar, a member of the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME) Inc. and the president of PSME-Cebu Chapter in 2003, filed the complaint against the 11 engineers after they allowed the publication of a newspaper advertisement that embarrassed him.

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The case stemmed from an incident on Jan. 13, 2005 when Tompar was surprised and embarrassed to read a paid newspaper advertisement bearing his picture and a declaration that he is no longer connected with the PSME-Cebu Chapter.

“Any transaction entered into or act of representation by the said person for and in behalf of PSME-Cebu Chapter shall neither be honored by the said organization nor held liable thereof effective Nov. 12, 2004,” the advertisement also read.

Tompar said his friends, business associates and acquaintances were also surprised with the publication and several business transactions were placed on hold as prospective clients began to doubt him.

Order

Suspended for three months are mechanical engineers Edwin R. Torillo, Jermine B. Jayag, Ludwig P. Amandoron, Benjamin C. Sanchez, Randy K. Salazar, Mariano Francis Xavier A. Hamoy, Rosalito Judah V. Eboa, Ferminiano E. Dapitan, Richard R. Banzuela, Reynaldo S. Pelayo and Ronald M. Galindo.

In an en banc order dated Aug. 12, 2009 and signed by PRC Board Members Leandro A. Conti and Vicente V. Vosotros and Chairman Alfredo Y. Po, the Board junked the appeal of the 11 mechanical engineers on its first decision dated Nov. 18, 2009.

With the dismissal of the appeal, the Board ordered them to surrender their Certificates of Registration and Professional Identification Cards 10 days from receipt of the order and to desist from the practice of the mechanical engineering profession for the period of three months under pain of criminal prosecution.

Tompar, who was succeeded by Torillo in 2004, said he felt vindicated with the PRC decision because under the rules, he cannot be expelled from PSME-Cebu Chapter without notice and hearing which is specified under Section 6.9 of the PSME’s articles of incorporation.