Appeals court lets nurses take oath
By Jomar Canlas, Reporter
THE Court of Appeals said on Thursday that the 17,000 who passed the nursing board exam and who were on the original list of passers issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) could take their oath as soon as possible.
During mediation proceedings held by the court, Associate Justice Vicente Veloso, who wrote the ruling, asked the PRC and the Department of Labor and Employment to consider the court’s ruling of October 13 as “immediately executory.”
The PRC said it would conduct the oath-taking on Friday or Monday.
Veloso questioned why the oath-taking of the 17,000 nursing board passers who make up 41.24 percent of the original list was being held up.
The court said that the ruling would be considered implemented since the temporary restraining order stopping the oath-taking had lapsed.
Veloso said the PRC was an independent body that has the authority to implement the oath-taking.
“…To take an oath is an individual right. No one can stop the oath-taking,” Veloso said.
He required the PRC to provide the court with the list of the additional passers who should be allowed to take their oath.
In the meantime, the main petitioner to the case will question Veloso’s opinion that the court’s ruling is immediately executory.
Pia Bersamin, lawyer for the petitioner UST College of Nursing, said they still have a motion for reconsideration pending with the court’s First Division. She said it was not a conciliation at all, because they do not agree with Veloso’s view.
Bersamin said that if needed, they will challenge the declaration of Veloso before the Supreme Court.
“We are open to all options including the Supreme Court to stop the oath-taking. The case before the Court of Appeals is not yet final and executory, because there is still a pending motion for reconsideration,” Bersamin said.
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