A MEMBER of the Board of Regents (BoR) of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) on Friday, January 19, reacted vehemently to allegations of corruption made by a contractor, calling the accusations aired over the radio "baseless."
Department of Science and Technology (DOST) regional director Alfonso Alamban, who sits in the board as a proxy for the DOST secretary, said there is no truth to allegations of wrongdoing made by Engineer Selwyn Lao against board members.
Lao is the president of Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation which worked on the unfinished 8-storey Student Center and Education Complex worth P199,590,570.07.
"I already communicated the USTP to speak up on this because they have all the facts. Lao's allegations are baseless," Alamban said.
The board of regents include resigned Commission on Higher Education chairperson Patricial Licuanan; the late USTP president Dr Ricardo Rotoras; USTP-Cagayan de Oro Chancellor Ruth Cabahug; USTP-Claveria Chancellor Rosalita Quirino; Senator Francis Escudero; and Congresswoman Ann Hofer (represented by Congressman Maximo Rodriguez Jr.).
Also included are Ernesto Pernia, Socio-Economic Planning Secretary Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) but represented by NEDA10 regional director Leon Dacanay Jr; DOST Secretary Fortunato Dela Pena but represented by DOST-10 regional director Alamban; and the presidents of the Federation of Faculty Associations, the Federation of Alumni Associations, and the Federation of Student Supreme Councils.
Alamban said Lao has been writing to him and to other members of the board, supposedly threatening to press charges against members of the board.
He said Lao also wrote numerous letters to Rotoras who was killed by gunmen outside his home on December 2 last year.
Six days after Rotoras' death, Alamban said Lao still managed to send a letter to them.
"Last December 8, we received another letter from him that he will sue us. He alleged that we asked for a share, and because he did not give in, we supposedly terminated his contract. There is no truth to this," Alamban said.
Alamban explained that the BoR functions as the policy-making body of the university and said all proposals and projects that will be implemented pass through the board.
He said the BoR usually holds its meetings in Manila.
"If there are proposals, all the members will get to decide on it, and not just one person. Like our city council, there is going to debate and voting if the board does not come up with one decision. The board also approves the university's budget, including appointments," he said.
In an interview over a local radio station, Lao alleged that the BoR which he described as like a ‘mafia,’ had made it difficult for his company to collect what was due them after he supposedly refused to give the them a 10% ‘share’ or some P20 million.