THE GIL Gamilla-led faculty union has again been caught handing out unauthorized loans, barely a month after the creation of a body that will probe the alleged illegal release of P9.5 million in union funds to a property developer.
In a financial report presented by union treasurer Aurora Domingo last September 3 in the Faculty General Assembly at the Medicine Auditorium, a certain Peter Bautista was shown as having paid P230,000 to the union.
The item caught the attention of College of Nursing professor John Vincent Ignacio, prompting him to ask Domingo about the money in the open forum.
“Who is this Mr. Peter Bautista who handed P230,000 to the union and why did he give that amount?” Ignacio said in Filipino.
Gamilla answered, saying the amount was a loan given to Bautista because of excess money in the union coffers.
“I asked the question to the treasurer but it was the president who answered the question which I don’t understand why,” Ignacio said in an interview.
Domingo told the Varsitarian: “I don’t want to talk about something I don’t know,” adding she was not the treasurer when the money was lent to Bautista. “I only assumed the post September last year, and continued service after winning the election.”
When Jove Jim Aguas, College of Accountancy Faculty Club president inquired about the terms of the loan and the relationship of Bautista to the union, Gamilla admitted Bautista was not a member.
“That was a loan before, I think it was in 2001,” Gamilla said. “[Bautista] was a caterer of one of the parties that the union had.”
Union sergeant-at-arms Rene Luis Tadle said Bautista’s loan was not discussed in a board meeting.
“I can assure you, and I can recall this had never been discussed with the board. This must be some time in 2006,” Tadle said.
Ignacio noted that members of the faculty cooperative could borrow only up to P50,000 but have to pay P10,000 membership fee.
“It (the loan to Bautista) is unusual, irregular for that matter, and I don’t know the reason why the union should loan that huge sum of money to a non-member,” Ignacio said.
“The president said that it had interest when paid and that’s P230,000. But at least it’s more than a hundred thousand, when we, the faculty members, the most that we can get is about P50,000,” Ignacio said.
The issue of the P230,000 loan was turned over for investigation to the Committee on Peers, the same committee that will investigate the alleged illegal disbursement of P9.5 million worth of union funds by Gamilla to a property developer in 2006 without the approval of the membership.
“I have my full faith on the [committee],” Ignacio said. “I hope they will shed light in what’s really happening in the union for the past 10 or 15 years.”
“We’ll make sure that this won’t happen again,” Tadle said. C. M. Parado and R. M. C. Rio
