The agony and the martyrdom of a Mapua engineer.

On 27 November 2015, engineer Selwyn F. Lao, president of Wing-An Construction and Development Corporation, entered into an agreement with the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) for the construction of an eight-story student center and education complex for P199,590,570.07.

In 2016, Dr. Ricardo Rotoras, the convicted president of USTP who was appointed by CHEd Chairperson Patricia Licuanan, sent his emissary to Lao demanding 10 percent of the contract price as “standing operating procedure” (SOP). According to the emissary, 10 percent of the contract was the prevalent asking rate of USTP in all government projects administered by Rotoras.

Due to Lao’s refusal to accede to the SOP, all billings for work done were withheld using flimsy excuses until finally, with the support of Chairperson Licuanan, Rotoras and his regents terminated the contract.

In view of his difficult situation, Lao on 5 January 2019 wrote a letter to the Office of the President, citing among other things, the following:

“Wing-An Construction may not have suffered the misfortune if only the government were consistent in the campaign against corruption. This series of anomalies had been been flagged by CoA even before Wing-An entered into its contract with USTP in 2015:

“1. CoA issued a notice of disallowance on a particular science laboratory equipment supply project worth P400 million in 2014. Nothing happened, the money was never recovered and the equipment disappeared. There were eight other notices of disallowance issued by CoA in 2008, during the time of Dr. Rotoras;

“2. The malicious reappointment of Dr. Rotoras as president of USTP by CHEd Chairperson Licuanan despite his conviction by the Ombudsman on 7 June 2011 and affirmed by the Supreme Court on 24 October 2012.

“The very institution established to mold future generations has been managed by corrupt public officials who were never investigated and punished.

“I pity the less fortunate Filipino people, comprising the majority of Philippine society,” Lao said.

Atty. Jill Lao, a graduate of the Ateneo College of Law, said the facts enumerated above fully supported by documents and evidence makes apparent that the acts of deceit committed by Dr. Ricardo Rotoras, Dr. Rosalito Quirino, Atty. Jonathan Oche and others were all with the blessing and under the authority granted by the USTP board of regents.

It was in fact the decisions made by the members of the USTP board of regents and officials that directly caused grave damage and injury to Wing-An Corporation, through the USTP’s and the persons’ wanton bad faith, malice, recklessness, abuse and deceit.