Nursing leakage controversy timeline

June 11-12, 2006: The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) conducted the nationwide Nursing Licensure Examination. Days later, reports that a leakage of actual test questions circulated. June 21, 2006: A group of Nursing Board examinees filed a complaint against members of the Board of Nursing (BON) and Ray Gapuz, owner of the Gapuz Review Center. The PRC created an independent fact-finding committee to inquire into the alleged controversy. After conducting its investigation, the committee found that a nursing exam leakage did occur. The test question manuscripts of BON members Virginia Madeja and Anesia Dionisio for Test III and Test V were copied and distributed to the reviewees of the Gapuz Review Center and INRESS before the actual examination dates. July 17, 2006: The BON adopted Resolution No. 31 invalidating 20 items of Test III and re-computing the scores in Test V. As such, those who took the June 2006 examination would no longer be required to retake parts of the exam. July 26, 2006: In an open letter, UST College of Nursing Faculty Association president Rene Luis Tadle's group filed an open letter, requested the PRC to defer the oathtaking of those who passed the nursing exams. August 15, 2006: PRC and BON announced that they will proceed with the oathtaking of examinees who passed based on the recomputed scheme. August 16, 2006: Tadle et al. asked the Court of Appeals to stop the PRC from implementing Resolution No. 31 and from allowing those who passed the June 2006 examinations based on the recomputed scores to take their oaths as nurses. August 18, 2006: The Court of Appeals issued a temporary restraining order, preventing the PRC from enforcing Resolution No. 31 and proceeding with the oathtaking scheduled on August 22, 2006. August 23, 2006: The Presidential Task Force on National Licensure Examination chaired by Dante Ang filed a petition in intervention, asking for a retake of Test III and Test V. August 28, 2006: President Arroyo ordered the PRC to implement a revamp of the six-member Board of Nursing in view of the nursing exam leakage controversy. September 27, 2006: In a press conference, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita disclosed that President Arroyo favors a nursing exam retake, but that she is leaving it up to the Department of Labor and Employment and the PRC to figure out how to proceed with it. October 13, 2006: The Court of Appeals declared Resolution No. 31 null and void and ordered the PRC to conduct a selective retake of the nursing licensure exam among those whose names have were merely added to the list of successful examinees. CA also ruled that the successful examinees may take their oaths and get their licenses. October 26, 2006: The Court of Appeals ruled that there was "no legal impediment" for the successful examinees of the June 2006 nursing exam to be sworn in. February 14, 2007: The Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS International) announced on its website that it has decided to deny VisaScreen certificates for Filipino nurses who obtained licensure on the basis of passing the June 2006 nursing licensure examination. CGFNS said it is unable to certify that the licensure is comparable to a US license. CGFNS however noted that the June 2006 passers can overcome this bar and qualify for a VisaScreen certificate by taking and passing the equivalent of Tests 3 and 5 on a future licensing examination administered by PRC. February 16, 2007: President Macapagal Arroyo ordered the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to appeal the CGFNS decision. February 19, 2007: A government-private sector task force was formed to make an appeal to CGFNS. The task force, headed by PRC chairwoman Leonor Rosero, was formed after a meeting between the PRC and nursing groups in Manila. February 24, 2007: In a statement posted on the DOLE website, he said DOLE will offer the voluntary retake of Test 3 and 5 of the June 2006 Nursing Exam. February 25, 2007: Labor Secretary Arturo Brion told said the CGFNS talked to him Rosero, telling them that no appeal will work in favor of the nursing graduates. February 26, 2007: Brion said the labor department has started talks with deans of Centers of Excellence to conduct reviews for passers of the leakage-tainted June 2006 nursing licensure exams who are willing to re-take the equivalent of the controversial test modules. Meanwhile, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Sergio Apostol said Malacanang does not need to issue an executive order to pave the way for a re-take. He said Brion just have to coordinate with the PRC and set the date for the re-take. February 27, 2006: President Arroyo refused to make a categorical statement on the recommendation of the DOLE for a retake of the leakage-tainted licensure exam to accommodate Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentebella's request for more time for a last-ditch appeal. March 4, 2007: A team of government officials and representatives of nursing graduates left for the US to appeal with the CGFNS the case of Filipino nurses. The team was composed of Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentebella, PRC Chair Rosero, Remigia Nathanielz, Fatima University official and Renato Aquino, president of the nursing batch of 2006. March 5, 2007: In a statement posted on its website March 5, CGFNS stood firm on its February 14 decision to deny VisaScreen Certification to the June 2006 passers of the Philippine nursing licensure exam. June 1, 2007: Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez ordered filing of criminal charges against two members of the Board of Nursing for the examination leakage. Sources:GMANews.tv, GMA News, Court of Appeals, OP, Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools