Friday, May 09, 2008 21 midwifery graduates sue Northcap By Rimaliza Opiña
MIDWIFERY graduates who recently failed to take their board examinations last April 29 and 30 sued Northcap, the review center which was supposed to facilitate the processing of their permits to take the examination at the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
At 2 p.m. Thursday, 17 out of the 30 who submitted a handwritten account of how they dealt with an agent of Northcap filed their complaint-affidavits with the City Prosecutor's Office.
This is aside from four others who, the day previous, also filed separate complaints.
The remaining batch from the 30 complainants will also file their complaints at a later date, Sun*Star learned.
One midwifery graduate from Candon, Ilocos Sur said one of their classmates is presently negotiating with an official of their school to allow them to enter their third year in college, even without taking their board exams.
Midwifery is a ladderized course which allows graduates to take up nursing provided they pass the board exams for midwives.
In their affidavits, the complainants who hail from Pangasinan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Nueva Ecija, Ifugao and one from Mindanao reiterated the payments they made should be returned.
In their affidavits, the exact amount to be collected will be determined by the court. These include the P800 processing fees, attorney’s fees, moral and exemplary damages.
Sun*Star tried but failed anew to get a comment from Northcap officials.
"They filed for estafa. There is misrepresentation and deception involved," said lawyer Vida Cortez, the complainants' co-lawyer. She said plans are also underway for the filing of administrative charges against Northcap.
The PRC earlier warned it does not allow the processing of application forms for board exams to be done by agents or fixers.
PRC Regional Director Evangeline Vergara said personal appearance is required when processing applications.
