JEDDAH, 12 November — Two officials of the Saudi Ministry of Education yesterday came to the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) to reinstate the principal and treasurer who were fired by a group of parents in what their rivals called a "power grab."
But right after the officials left, the group led by Fidel Hernandez declared themselves in power again and told their rivals to shut up or get lost.
"Where are these cowards who were all here when the MOE officials were around? They are nowhere to be found," Hernandez said in a telephone interview with Arab News.
He was referring to members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) and the Third Force, led by presidents of the various Parent-Teachers Groups (PTGs) who broke away from his group.
Witnesses said there was rejoicing from supporters of the BOT and the "Third Force" when Mansour Ghazali, director of foreign education in the Makkah region, and another high official, Mustapha Al-Hersi, came in the afternoon.
"The goons of Hernandez scampered away when Mr. Ghazali came," said one teacher.
Ghazali called Dr. Reinita Respicio, who was suspended by the "new" Board, to resume her duties.
The two MOE officials also met faculty and staff and toured the campus, accompanied by the principal and BOT member Linogaranao "Bobby" Mapandi, reportedly to "establish the legality of BOT under Efren Rodriguez."
In two memorandums over the past two weeks, the MOE had said it was the current BOT chaired by Efren Rodriguez that it recognized.
Tension arose, so witnesses say, when Ghazali started questioning some non-parents that the group of Hernandez reportedly imported to "harass" their rivals.
Hernandez and his leaders were not around to face Ghazali but Mustapha Glang, the welfare officer of the Philippine Consulate, reportedly got into a heated argument when he confronted Ghazali’s confiscation of the iqama’s of two people.
"Mr. Ghazali told Mr. Glang to calm down and talk nicely, and when he did they retired into a room and had a closed-door meeting," a witness said.
It was not clear what the MOE and Consulate officials discussed or agreed upon but before leaving, Ghazali reportedly assured parents that the assembly they were asking for would be held soon and that an election for a new board would be scheduled.
Hernandez, in an interview later in the day, was in no mood to talk about an election this early.
He said the MOE officials could not insist on what they want because he and his group are the real representatives of parents in IPSJ.
On Sunday, he said the "new Board" will first clean up the mess caused by the Rodriguez group before they would ask for the parents whether they still want an election.
Hernandez minced no words as he vowed to liberate the oldest and biggest Philippine overseas school from "nitwits" (mga lintik) and "nincompoops" (mga bugok).
"The truth will set IPSJ free from these crooks and cowards," he said.
Hernandez went on to vent his ire on his former allies in the Parent Teachers Council, who split from his group when he seized power.
He insisted that they abandoned him because they had business deals with the BOT to protect. "I’m ready to prove that," he said.
His hit list included Lito Lazo, Nilo Lucena, Mar Marzo, Resty Vanguardia, Ronald Mangua, and Bernie Villarente.
"The parents are looking for the funds collected by these people in the raffle draws that they held supposedly for the school. Where are their financial reports?" he asked.
He also twitted Rodriguez and his "cohorts" for not facing the parents and hiding under the cloak of the MOE.
"They are accusing us of harassing parents but look what they did. They were telling the parents that the police would come with the MOE to arrest us. So who is trying to intimidate?" he said.
"Where is Bobby Mapandi now? Just a while ago, he was trotting around when Ghazali was here?" he asked in Tagalog.
Earlier in the day, Lucena, Lazo and Marzo said in an interview with Arab News accused Hernandez of engaging in smear tactics to silence his critics.
"If he is really for the parents, why doesn’t he want to listen to us?" Lucena asked.
Lazo bristled at Hernandez’s charge that the Third Force was not fighting for principles.
"If you can say no to a tempting offer, that’s principle, especially if the offer is from a friend," he said, referring to an offer by the Rodriguez Board for him and two others to sit in the BOT even without getting elected by parents.
As for the business deals, the three said they were ready to face parents.
"All we’re saying is that we want an election. That was our original objective," said Marzo.
The group said it was Hernandez who deviated from the PTC’s intention, which was to demand a parents assembly so that they could confront the Rodriguez BOT with the alleged irregularities happening in the school.
A second objective was to demand an immediate election.
"We are still for these demands. If he (Hernandez) and is group believe they have the support of the parents, why are they afraid of an election?," Lazo said.
"We have no business interests in the school. In fact we are donating to the school. He’s just engaging in psy-war. Maybe it’s his cronies who have business there," he added.
Lucena cautioned Hernandez on the use of "goons," warning that the IPSJ is not an employment agency that could absorb so many workers.
"How is he going to pay these people he had been importing from outside?" he asked.
The Third Force leaders said they were ready to work with Hernandez’s group if they step down and return to their original objectives.