Sunday, October 15, 2006
Wait for license pains nursing graduates
CEBU CITY -- They feel vindicated but the nursing licensure examinees in Cebu remain wary, even with the Court of Appeals (CA) decision that there was no "widespread" leakage during the 2006 nursing board exams.
"We are happy with the CA decision, but right now we still fear for the EO (executive order)," said Chulou Penales, the 10th placer of the nursing board exam and president of Tanan or Tapok-tapok sa Nagkahiusang Nurses Batok sa Retake.
Malacañang said Saturday that Labor Secretary Arturo Brion is still studying the implications of the CA decision, which directed a retake of the test by those whose names were merely added to the list of successful examinees.
"We will wait for the final recommendation of Secretary Brion. The bottom line is to punish the guilty and spare the innocent," Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a radio interview in Manila.
Ermita said Brion is due to give his report to Malacañang this weekend, based on the final report of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which had recommended the filing of charges against 17 officers and owners of three private nursing review centers for perpetrating the leakage.
The appellate court, in a ruling released last Friday, said only 1,687 examinees from the 17,821 board passers will retake tests 3 and 5 of the nursing board exam.
These examinees are those whose names were added to the list of successful examinees after a recomputation of grades based on the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) resolution invalidating tests 3 and 5.
The CA, however, has nullified PRC Resolution 31.
The two tests, according to the National Bureau of Investigation, were leaked to the examinees during the final coaching at three review centers -- R.A. Gapuz, Inress and Pentagon.
Penales fears some Cebuanos may be among the 1,687 ordered to retake the exam.
In a separate interview in Manila, Brion said he will meet next week with NBI and PRC officials on their findings on the leakage. He wants to find out how the CA came up with the figure of 1,687 who will have to retake the tests on medical/surgical nursing and neuro-psychiatric nursing.
Brion also said he wants to make sure those who will be made to retake the exam indeed benefited from the leakage.
The appellate court, in its 33-page decision, allowed the oath taking of successful examinees who were in the original list.
Most of the passers in Cebu have taken their oaths before the CA issued a temporary restraining order last Aug. 18.
"We will just wait for the release of our licenses and be cautious of the EO," Penales said.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had ordered Brion to issue an EO on whether all the 2006 nursing board examinees should retake the tests.
Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella, Tanan's lawyer in filing a motion for intervention in the CA case, found the court decision fair.
In a text message sent to Sun.Star, he said, "the CA ruling is fair enough. Its greatest effect is that it prevented injustice from being committed against the honest examinees."
"It upholds the rule of law...It also conveys the wisdom, independence and objectivity of the CA justices," Labella added.
The CA decision stemmed from the petition for prohibition filed by Rene Luis Tadle, president of the University of Sto. Tomas, College of Nursing; Earl Francis Sumile, president of the League of Concerned Nurses; and Michael Angelo Brant, president of Binuklod na Samahan ng mga Student Nurses.
Named respondents were the PRC and the Board of Nursing.
Penales said they will check with PRC 7 first thing tomorrow on the retake.
PRC Central Visayas Acting Director Dan Malayang said they have not received official word yet from the PRC central office regarding the CA decision.
Grateful for the CA ruling, Tanan will offer a thanksgiving mass at the Redemptorist Church tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
A press conference will follow where Tanan will also acknowledge people who have supported their cause. Among them are Labella, Presidential Assistant for Central Visayas Felix Guanzon, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Representative Nerissa Soon-Ruiz. (Jujemay G. Awit of Sun.Star Cebu with reports from JMR/Sunnex)
(October 15, 2006 issue)
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