Senators condemn killing of university president in CDO

Camille Elemia

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Senators condemn killing of university president in CDO
Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who hails from the city, calls for swift justice for the killing of University of Science and Technology of Souther Philippines president Dr Ricardo Rotoras

MANILA, Philippines – Senators on Sunday, December 3, condemned the killing of Dr Ricardo Rotoras, president of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) in Cagayan de Oro City.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who hails from the city, sought justice for the murder of Rotoras. Pimentel asked the Philippine National Police (PNP) to exhaust all efforts to quickly arrest the killers and “unmask their mastermind” in what he described as a “dastardly act.”

“I am alarmed and outraged by this latest attack on our law abiding and dedicated public servants. I urge the police to work double time to arrest the killers and unmask the mastermind,” Pimentel said in a statement.

“We are a peace-loving society and killings of this nature must be stopped. The police must do its job to protect and secure the people against rouge elements of society,” he added.

Minority senators Paolo Benigno Aquino IV and Francis Pangilinan also called on authorities “to leave no stone unturned” to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice and punished for their “deplorable act.”

According to police, unknown assailants shot the 48-year-old Rotoras just outside his home early Saturday, December 2. Rotoras sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to the nearby medical facility. He, however, died before reaching JR Borja General Hospital.

‘Big, great loss’

Pimentel said Rotoras was a “big loss” to the people of Cagayan de Oro City, noting that he served as head of the USTP since 2006 and was elected president of the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) for the fourth consecutive term.

Senator Francis Escudero, chair of the Senate committee on education said Rotoras’ efforts in improving the education system would not be forgotten.

“I join the academe in mourning the death of Dr. Rotoras, whose efforts to help improve the country’s higher education system will not be forgotten. His untimely passing is a great loss not only to his family, friends and colleagues, but to the whole higher education sector as well,“ Escudero said in a statement.

Aquino and Pangilinan shared the same view and said Rotoras’ death is a “great loss” to the country,

“We worked closely with him for the passage of the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act as president of Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC). His untimely death is a great loss to the country’s push for quality education for every Filipino,” Aquino and Pangilinan said. – Rappler.com

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Camille Elemia

Camille Elemia is a former multimedia reporter for Rappler. She covered media and disinformation, the Senate, the Office of the President, and politics.