CHED exec: I’m a victim of selective justice

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) executive director Julito Vitriolo expressed gratitude to President Duterte after Malacañang said it will abide by the Court of Appeals (CA) decision to reinstate him. In statement sent to The

STAR, Vitriolo stressed that what happened to him was a case of selective justice by the Office of the Ombudsman, which ordered him dismissed earlier this year for failing to investigate an alleged diploma mill case.

“President Duterte’s (decision to abide) by the CA order reinstating me shows his higher sense of justice. And being a lawyer himself, this confirms his adherence to the rule of law,” he said.

“What happened to me is a glaring case of selective justice that the President has been talking about. As already stressed by the CA, the penalty imposed on me by the ombudsman was too harsh, disproportionate and cruel,” he added.

He also expressed gratitude to the appellate court for vindicating him, adding that it proves that justice can still be achieved in the country.

CHED chair Patricia Licuanan, who earlier said that they are awaiting directives from the Palace, has yet to comment on the matter.

Licuanan initially said that they could not act on Vitriolo’s return yet as Duterte already signed the appointment of Karol Mark Yee as Vitriolo’s replacement.

Yee was the former head of CHED’s K-12 transition program prior to his appointment as executive director. It is unclear what Yee’s new function will be after Vitriolo’s return.