CA directs school to explain defiance of court order

The Court of Appeals has ordered the Santo Niño Parochial School (SNPS) to explain its defiance of a court order to issue a good moral character certificate to Krisel Mallari, the salutatorian who criticized the school in her speech.

"Respondents SNPS and Registrar Yolanda Casero are directed to file a comment on the very urgent manifestation with motion filed by petitioner, Krisel S. Mallari, within 24 hours from notice," the CA Second Division said in its order penned by Associate Justice Socorro Inting.

Parties are normally given 10 days to submit comments on pleadings, but the CA said it was only giving the school one day "taking into consideration that time is of the essence since as manifested by petitioner, classes at [the University of Sto. Tomas] will start on August 3, 2015."

The order was issued even after the SNPS issued on Thursday a certificate of good moral character for Mallari. The school, however, clarified that while it is heeding the CA's order, the court cannot "dictate" what the SNPS would be stating in the document.

In her "very urgent motion" filed Thursday, Mallari requested the CA to cite in contempt and issue a bench warrant against school administrator Yolanda Casero and "top-level officials" of the SNPS for defying a CA temporary restraining order that directed it to issue a certificate of good character for Mallari.

A bench warrant is usually issued in a contempt case when there is willful disregard or disobedience of a court authority.

In an earlier resolution, the CA sided with Mallari in contesting the non-issuance of the document, saying Mallari should not be prevented from pursuing college merely because of a "transgression" in school.

In her petition, Mallari, through her father Ernesto Mallari and the Public Attorney's Office, said she needed the certificate for her admission to the UST, where she plans to take up accountancy.

The school, however, had once again refused to issue the certificate on Wednesday, saying it has yet to receive a copy of the CA order.

Mallari's camp on Wednesday tried giving the school a copy of the CA resolution, but they were unable to speak with school officials, who were allegedly attending a seminar/orientation at that time. —KBK, GMA News