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Mindanao
Univ. Rejects "Police" President
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Seal of Mindanao State University.
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By
Rexcel Sorza, IOL Correspondent
ILOILO
CITY, Philippines, September 20, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Students,
staff, and the academic community in general voiced their rejection of
the new president of the premiere state university for Filipino
Muslims in Mindanao, dubbing the new appointment by the federal
government as "militarization" of the campus.
Ricardo
De Leon, the second highest official of the Philippine National
Police, has been appointed new president of Mindanao State University
(MSU), in a move the government says aims "to straighten out the
peace and order and security situation in the university
complex".
While
De Leon says he is optimistic he can "win the MSU constituents'
cooperation", reactions from the campus were not friendly, to say
the least.
"The
students, faculty, staff, and the academic community in general, say
no to military take over. We do not want MSU to be
'militarized'," MSU student government president Najeeb Lucman
Haid told IOL Monday, September 19, coinciding with De Leon's first
day in office.
He
said the MSU community is "dismayed" and
"insulted" because it appeared that no one from the MSU or
its alumni was capable of solving the university woes and leading it.
Security
De
Leon, on his part, told IOL that his main job was to win the support
of many students and faculty members opposed to his appointment, in
addition to carrying out the government's order to restore peace and
order within the MSU.
"I
hope to prove to them that I am not here to militarize the university
but to restore peace and order. I am positive that I can win their
support."
De
Leon succeeded Dr. Campar Umpa, whose term expired September 1. De
Leon studied at the Philippine Military Academy and has master's and
doctorate degrees in peace and security.
Prior
to his appointment as the top university executive, he was the second
highest official of the Philippine National Police.
Eduardo
Ermita, President Gloria Arroyo's executive secretary, earlier
explained to reporters that De Leon was appointed "to straighten
out the peace and order and security situation in the university
complex before formally turning over the reins of the institution to
the permanent appointee."
He
said De Leon's appointment is temporary and a permanent president
would be appointed once De Leon is able to "solve the
problems".
Ermita
added Mindanao's premiere state university has been deteriorating due
to the proliferation of squatters in the campus as carjacking, drug
and kidnapping syndicates use the area as a hideaway or a place where
they can ply their illegal trade.
Committee
Ignored
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It's the sole state university for Muslims.
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But
several groups criticized the appointment saying what MSU needs to
assume its top post is an academic and not a former military or police
official.
Haid
told IOL students and staff in the campus want President Arroyo to
choose from among the three nominees screened by a search committee,
as done in the past.
The
search committee endorsed the appointment of Dr. Macapado Muslim,
chancellor of the General Santos City campus.
The
two other nominees were Dr. Nasroden Guro, Dean of the College of
Public Affairs, and Dr. Abubakr Otinggue Mohammad Masnar, vice
chancellor for research and a former dean of the College of
Agriculture.
All
past MSU presidents, except for its first president, Dr. Antonio
Isidro, were from Mindanao and Muslims with connections to the
university by way of their academic background or membership in the
Board of Regents.
De
Leon, however, is Christian and is not from Mindanao.
Haid
said they would gather signatures and hold protest actions to press
for the appointment of one of the three nominees.
The
Mindanao State University was established September 1, 1961 in the
Islamic city of Marawi with a unique mandate on political integration
and quality tertiary and advance education in Mindanao, Sulu and
Palawan region.
It
is the sole state university with a special mandate of integrating the
cultural communities, particularly the Muslims, into the mainstream by
providing them
with opportunities for quality and relevant public education for their
self development and providing trained manpower skills and technical
know-how for the economic development of the Mindanao.
The
Mindanao State University System grew from a one-campus university
into seven autonomous campuses scattered around Mindanao, home to the
country's Filipino Muslims and the birthplace of Islam in the
Philippines.
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