NBI confirms leakage, nursing board members face raps

ABS-CBN News
August 30, 2006 as of 9:49 PM

Members of the Board of Nursing (BON) are facing possible criminal charges after the National Bureau of Investigation confirmed a leakage in the 2006 Nursing Licensure Exams, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Wednesday.

Ermita said NBI Director Nestor Mantaring told him that a leakage occured in the nursing board exam. Mantaring declined to reveal where the leakage came from and who distributed it to students and review centers.

Ermita said the NBI will submit its complete report on the leakage to the Professional Regulation Commission, Department of Justice and Malacañan on Thursday.

Ermita said he expects PRC chairwoman Leonor Rosero to follow President Arroyo's instruction that only those found guilty of benefiting from the leakage should retake Tests 3 and 5 of the board exam.

He said Mrs. Arroyo has no plans to replace Rosero.

Cavite Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla on Wednesday challenged BON and PRC officials to resign to give way to a fair probe on the alleged leakage.

Remulla issued the challenge during the congressional inquiry of the joint committees on justice, good government and civil service and professional regulation.

He said PRC and the nursing board could start clean with credible officials if the present members resign.

A PRC fact-finding committee report earlier said a Philippine Nurses Association official paid P7 million to BON members for the leakage.