MANILA, Aug. 3 (PNA) — The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) on Monday insisted for the arrest of the school executives for issuing a “defective” certificate of good moral character to a high school salutatorian who was stopped by her adviser and other school personnel while delivering her salutatory address last March.
In a nine-page very urgent manifestation dated Aug. 3, 2015, high school graduate Krisel Mallari, represented by PAO Chief Atty. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta, cited the fact that Santo Niño Parochial School (SNPS) and school registrar Yolanda Casero have issued a “conditional Certificate of Good Moral Character”, in effect does not fully comply with the orders of the Court of Appeals (CA).
The director and officers of SNPS who could be held liable are Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, Msgr. Daniel Sta. MAria, Rev. Fr. Raymond Joseph Arre, Fr. Ronaldo Santos and Rev. Fr. Enrique Aloysius Ma. Alino.
With the conditional certificate of good moral character which was issued, Krisel still cannot pursue her studies for Accountancy at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The SNPS issued a certificate of good moral character to Krisel last Wednesday but under protest with the intention to question the legality of the CA mandatory injunction order.
Hence, it was a conditional certificate of good moral character that was issued which must be reported with the CA.
The CA Second Division has already granted the plea of high school Krisel for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and writ of preliminary injunction (WPI) against SNPS and Casero.
The incident stemmed on March 21, 2015 during the 13th Commencement Exercises of SNPS, Mallari was stopped by her adviser Marina Riva and other school personnel while delivering her salutatory address.
A video footage of the incident circulated in the Facebook where the school was widely criticized for cutting off Krisel while delivering her speech.
The incident was also reported in several television and radio broadcasting programs and print media. (PNA)