Even in the academe

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

The Filipino people have been seeing or hearing about so many cases of dishonesty, graft and corruption involving government officials, especially the elected ones, that it no longer shocks them when another one is reported to have taken advantage of his or her position to gain undue advantages through the position they are holding.

But it is doubly shocking when the officials being accused, or penalized, are those belonging to the academe because these have a greater responsibility to give a good example to those working with or under them.

The case of the two officials of the University of the Philippines-Manila, who were ordered dismissed from the service by the Ombudsman is one such case. The two occupy such sensitive and important positions as chancellor and vice chancellor of the university.

In the complaint filed against them, the two officials, were charged for terminating the contract of the security agency hired by the university in a manner that the Ombudsman noted, constituted a flagrant violation of well-known laws and legal rules of procurement under Republic Act No. 0184.

The penalties meted to them, aside from dismissal from service, included forfeiture of their retirement benefits, and disqualification for life from government service.

The penalties are, indeed, harsh, but they are justifiable and reasonable, considering the impact of their actions on the young people under their care and influence. The action of the Ombudsman, therefore, should have a more greater effect on the behavior, not only of their fellow officials, but more so on the students who are impressionable, and should be aware of the efforts of this administration to remove the stigma of corruption that seems to have affected so many of our officials today.*