Salutatorian insists on contempt rap vs school

MANILA, Philippines - Salutatorian Krisel Mallari has insisted on pursuing her contempt charge before the Court of Appeals (CA) against Sto. Niño Parochial School (SNPS) and its officials despite the release of her good moral character certificate last week.

In an eight-page very urgent manifestation filed through Chief Public Attorney Persida Rueda-Acosta yesterday, the certificate issued by school principal Herminida Catud “blatantly questions the wisdom of this honorable court and attacks its integrity and credibility in a manner so contemptuous in character.”

Mallari said the school’s “intent to block any future” she has with the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) “is manifest and their bad faith, patent.”

She said there was “no need for the certificate to state ‘the Regional Trial Court, after hearing both sides, denied a similar application for injunctive relief,’ because this was precisely the order overturned by this honorable court through the petitioner’s petition for certiorari and mandamus.”

“Neither was there a need to state that ‘the honorable Court of Appeals on the other hand, without notice and hearing, issued ex parte, a writ of preliminary mandatory injunction in violation of the Rules of Court, which therefore makes the Resolution void, with all due respect’ for its is basic that a challenge against the same should be lodged in the proper forum and by availing of the proper remedy,” Mallari added.

She also cited the “error” in the computation of her grades in the final report card.

Mallari graduated as salutatorian from SNPS, but has been unable to enter college after criticizing the school in her graduation speech last March.

The Public Attorney’s Office said Mallari submitted the certificate to UST last Friday. A UST official told her the matter will be taken up by the university council.