QC court reinstates ousted PGH director

A Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on Thursday reinstated Dr. Jose Gonzales as the director of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), the country’s largest charity hospital, almost a year after he was “unduly" removed from the post. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Gonzales said he received around 5 p.m. a copy of the decision of QC RTC Branch 84, which granted his appeal for a preliminary injunction. In the decision, Judge Luisito Cortez ordered incumbent PGH director Dr. Rolando Enrique Domingo to cease from performing the functions of the PGH director, and asked Gonzales to resume his duties for the position. The decision likewise ordered the Board of Regents (BOR) — the highest governing body of the University of the Philippines (UP) system, which supervises the hospital — to recognize the original appointment of Gonzales to the hospital’s highest position. Gonzales will be considered as the legitimate PGH director, the court said, until the case he filed against UP for replacing him is resolved. The PGH directorship row started after Gonzales, who was selected by the BOR to replace PGH director Dr. Carmelo Alfiler on December 18 last year, was ousted following the protest of a BOR member against his appointment. Gonzales was supposed to have been sworn into office on January 4 this year, but outgoing UP President Emerlinda Roman postponed his oath-taking and then appointed UP Manila Chancellor Ramos Arcadio as the officer-in-charge of the PGH. UP then declared the position vacant, and on February 25, the BOR did a second round of voting and appointed Domingo as the PGH director, which Gonzales subsequently protested in court. “Victory ito (This is a victory for me). I went through the legal system and this time, they gave me justice," Gonzales told GMANews.TV. He added that amid the controversy, he has never left his office and continued performing whatever duties he can. As of posting, the PGH website still lists Domingo as its director. Gonzales said the PGH has been functioning well despite the leadership issue, but that the PGH doctors, faculty, students and rank-and-file employees have been “demoralized" because of the controversy. Domingo cannot be reached for comment as of posting time. In a text message to the Philippine Collegian, the student publication of UP Diliman, Domingo said he will respect the court’s decision. “I haven't seen [the court order] but I will respect the order kung meron, and the case will then go on. Wala pa kami sa case; what was heard [by the QCRTC] was the petition for preliminary injunction," Domingo’s message read as quoted by the Philippine Collegian. Gonzales earlier filed a legal case against UP for declaring vacant a position filled by a qualified person, and appointing another person to the same position. The case has yet to be decided. The UP administration has yet to release any official statement on the issue as of posting time. - KBK, GMANews.TV