JEDDAH, 30 July 2003 — Parents at the International Philippine School in Jeddah (IPSJ) now face the specter of paying two sets of security guards, one installed by the Philippine Consul General and another by the group calling itself the “Interim Board.”
The “Interim Board” headed by Fidel Hernandez fired 12 security officers hired by Consul General Kadatuan Usop on Sunday and replaced them with a new set.
But the 12 security officers led by Luminda Abdul Basit reported to work yesterday and said they were not honoring the termination papers handed to them by the group of Hernandez.
“While it is true that our 6-month contract has expired, we will not entertain any termination order unless instruction comes from Consul General Kadatuan Usop himself or whoever will be the duly elected board”, Basit said in an interview.
“In the meantime, we will continue to perform the task assigned to us: to ensure the safety and security of the school premises, its personnel and property. To keep/maintain peace, order and tranquility within the school’s perimeter”, Basit added.
Hernandez’s group, which was kicked out of the school early last month by Usop, returned with a vengeance on Sunday and terminated not only the security officers but also ordered the school cashier not to disburse any funds until further notice.
In a position paper distributed to parents, Hernandez and his board members said they were compelled to “assert and exercise their duties and responsibilities” because the school’s condition under Usop was getting worse than it was under the group of Efren Rodriguez.
The Hernandez group joined hands with Usop in seizing control of the IPSJ in November 2002 as parents accused the Rodriguez group of overstaying and failing to account for the school’s finances.
“Under the administration of the Philcongen, IPSJ is reeling under financial, administrative and academic crisis,” said the group, noting that the number of teachers and staff has risen to 150 as against only 105 as proposed in a financial study conducted by interim board.
“As a result, the teachers and staff have not received their full salary for the last three months,” it said.
While urging “concerned government authorities to prevent Usop from interfering in the day-to-day affairs of the school,” the Hernandez.
The group also said it will strongly oppose any move to reinstate Rodriguez and company.
In a letter that was also made available to parents, teachers and school staff, Consul General Usop “took exception” to the “false allegations” made by Hernandez’s group. He cautioned them to go slow.
“Please observe extra caution and (do) not short-circuit legal and procedural requisites so that the normalization efforts will not be jeopardized. Being not duly elected, your group does not have any mandate, thus, your act or acts would be deemed illegal and improper.
“Up to now, no government authorities, local or Philippine, conferred recognition to your group. Therefore, your group is not the authority in the school,” the letter told Hernandez and his followers.
Usop said the IPSJ account is intact and a reputable Saudi auditing company will audit the school from November 2002 up to June 2003.
He said the newly hired teachers, except for few former IPSJ teachers, were all recruits of Hernandez’s group. He blamed low collections and the failure of Rodriguez to turn over school funds the delays in payment of teachers’ salaries.
Usop also said that Hernandez and his board members “received honoraria and took the proceeds of rentals of the school’s food concessionaire, adding burden to an already near-bankrupt school.”
