Senate sets probe into UM’s alleged fee scam, death threats to students

By Butch Fernandez @butchfBM

SENATOR Raffy Tulfo is set to file a resolution triggering an inquiry into alleged irregularities in a decision of the University of Manila (UM) to disallow all the 140 civil engineering students to graduate, supposedly due to failing grades, after the school’s premature collection of graduation fee.

The senator was also rankled by a complaint that a UM official told students that anyone who crosses the school management can end up “dead.”

The graduating civil engineering students of UM, who first complained on “Wanted sa Radyo,” against their university met with the Senate staff of Tulfo, along with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) representatives and UM officials last Tuesday to discuss the issue.

It can be noted in Tulfo’s initial finding that all of the students received the same failing grade of 70, and the professor resigned immediately after issuing the score.

Tulfo shared that his staff who attended the meeting noticed that there are indeed irregularities and grave injustice perpetrated by UM officials against the students.

“Napagalaman din sa nasabing paghaharap na pangkaraniwan na palang kalakaran ito,” Tulfo said.

In stressing the obvious unfair treatment UM students were subjected to, Tulfo cited as an example the useless question on the test paper that came from the school president.

These questions include: “What is your subject?,” “Define and explain why this subject is important in your course,” and “Give at least three practical examples on its importance.”

“Sa mga tanong na ito ay walang tamang sagot at nakadepende lamang sa kapritso ng gumawa ng tanong,” he said. “Kaya pala minali ang sagot ng mga estudyante at parepareho silang nakakuha ng 70 failing grade dahil kahit ano pang isagot nila rito ay ang presidente pa rin ng eskwelahan ang masusunod sa gusto niya.”

But what Tulfo really found extremely alarming was the alleged remark by a UM official over a phone call that was put on speaker in a meeting that everyone who fights with and gets on the bad side of the school ends up “dead.”

This prompted him to draft a resolution, which is set to be filed today, Thursday, seeking a thorough investigation of this issue. Said resolution also aims to invite to appear before the Senate the UM president and officials, CHED and past and present students with similar experience in dealing with the university.

“Ang tanong: Mamamatay ba ang 24 senators at ang mismong Senado na mag-iimbestiga sa problemang ito ng UM tulad ng pasaring ng kanilang presidente?! ABANGAN!,” Tulfo ended.