Ateneo professor denies issuing psychiatric report on Noynoy

MANILA, Philippines - An Ateneo de Manila University psychology professor yesterday denied that he made a negative psychiatric evaluation on Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 31 years ago when he was still a student, as claimed yesterday by a volunteer of Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Sen. Manuel Villar.

In a statement, Fr. Jaime Bulatao categorically denied that he had written and signed the report.

“It has come to my attention that an unverified ‘psychiatric evaluation’ allegedly signed by me in 1979 about the mental condition of Senator Aquino is circulating in the news. I categorically deny having written and signed the report,” Bulatao said in a statement sent to The STAR.

“We strongly condemn these repeated attempts to use the Ateneo Psychology Department for black propaganda. When the first fabrication did not work because of the mistake of choosing a signatory (i.e. Tito Caluag) who has never been affiliated with our Psychology Department, the same scheme was thought of, this time, using our most esteemed Fr. Bulatao, SJ. These acts of malicious falsifications should be stopped once and for all,” the Ateneo de Manila University’s Department of Psychology said in a statement.

NP volunteer Guido Delgado, who introduced himself as a former president of the National Power Corp. (Napocor), a businessman and a consultant of the World Bank, yesterday presented to media two sets of documents depicting Aquino’s negative mental and emotional state.

The assessment, however, was made in 1979 when Aquino was still a student at the Ateneo de Manila University. – With Aurea Calica, Paolo Romero, Jerry Botial