UP Dean Hit for Secret U.S. Labor Deal

Seven faculty members of the University of the Philippines' School of Labor and Industrial Relations (UP-SOLAIR) in Diliman filed graft and malversation charges against the School's dean before the Office of the Ombudsman for an alleged concealed research contract with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDL), purportedly without any authority from UP.

BY CAESAR Ben Basan Baroņa
Bulatlat.com

Seven faculty members of the University of the Philippines' School of Labor and Industrial Relations (UP-SOLAIR) in Diliman, Quezon City have filed graft and malversation charges against the school's dean before the Office of the Ombudsman for an alleged concealed research contract with the U.S. Department of Labor (USDL), purportedly without any authority from UP.

Seven whistleblowers

The group, composed of Profs. Marie Aganon, Virgel Binghay, Bonifacio Macaranas, Rene Ofreneo, Jorge Sibal, Geodicio Sison, and Virginia Teodisio, say the affair had been going on for quite a while before it was discovered only in March of this year.

In September 2002, SOLAIR Dean Juan Amor Palafox entered into a Comprehensive Agreement/Notice of Award, with Grant Officer Lawrence Kuss signing in behalf of the US Department of Labor, Bureau of International Labor Affairs.

A US$96,650 in federal funding was then granted to support research of Overseas Filipino Workers, with the project title: "Determining The Extent of Labor Standards Compliance in Select Countries in Asia, the Middle East and Europe."

When the funds were allocated, Palafox allegedly became secretive about the agreement and refused to divulge details despite questions raised by Aganon and Ofreneo in 2002.

Palafox then re-channeled funds through the Center for Labor Education and Research Development (CLEARED), SOLAIR's Foundation, apparently without the knowledge of the foundation's designated beneficiaries.

The Seven SOLAIR professors also say that Palafox illegally required all research and extension staff to become members of a bogus "Tri-Center," composed of the School's Center for Labor Justice, Center for Labor and Grassroots Initiatives and Center for Industry Productivity and Competitiveness to conduct the research project.

The research and extension staff, meanwhile, was supposedly advised by Palafox not to divulge anything about the research project to the faculty.

Usurpation of authority

The seven professors assert that Palafox is guilty of the "usurpation of the authority of the (UP Diliman) Chancellor and the President of the University of the Philippines (System)" and Section 3 (e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Malversation of Public Funds. The latter declares unlawful any act by any government official giving any private party "unwarranted benefits" and causing "undue injury" to the government.

The professors already filed an administrative case against Palafox on April 13 at the office of the UP Diliman Chancellor. An administrative investigation was begun.

The fox gets back

In retaliation, the seven professors were slapped by Palafox with charges of qualified theft and violation of Electronic Act of 2000 for allegedly stealing the evidence in connection to the case.

Palafox averred that he discovered the loss of documents after receiving a copy of the administrative complaint. He claims that attached to the complaint were the original copies of the Agreement, which he said were stored inside his office and which had no copies.

Also alleged to be missing from his office files were the hard copies of electronic data messages regarding problems in the release of the research funds. It is purportedly an American policy not to deal with local banks. Bulatlat.com

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