Neri whisked out of UP Mindanao campus

DAVAO CITY – Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairman Romulo Neri had to be whisked out of the University of the Philippines-Mindanao campus here yesterday after several students staged a rally urging him to tell the truth about the controversial ZTE national broadband deal.

Neri, who also chairs the UP Board of Regents, arrived here with the rest of the board members for a meeting yesterday morning at the UP-Mindanao campus in Barangay Mintal, Calinan district.

The meeting, which was held at the school’s conference room, ended shortly before noon.

However, Neri had to pass through the backdoor of the administration building and had to be brought to a waiting car through another gate, away from view of at least 30 protesting students who were chanting “Baba Neri, baba Neri.”

A decoy reportedly had to be used in place of the former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) chairman in going out of the building in full view of the students.

At the backgate, Neri was reportedly immediately turned over to officials of NEDA- Region 11.

Neri reportedly stayed at the NEDA regional office the entire afternoon.

Reports said security was very tight for Neri who brought along with him his personal security details in Manila.

Neri, who refused to talk to mediamen, also reportedly skipped the scheduled teleconference at the audio-visual room of the UP-Mindanao campus yesterday afternoon.

The teleconference was to be beamed to all UP campuses nationwide.