MikeLigalig.com

By Lito B. Zulueta
Philippine Daily Inquirer

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has denied it broke academic rules when it granted a doctorate in law, summa cum laude, to Chief Justice Renato Corona reportedly even without a dissertation and urged the press not to drag institutions like UST to the impeachment controversy.

“There is no truth to the allegation that the University of Santo Tomas broke its rules to favor Chief Justice Renato Corona who graduated with the degree of Doctor of Laws from the University,” UST said in a statement. It added that Corona had enrolled in all of the requisite subjects leading to the doctorate, attended his classes, passed them and delivered a “scholarly treatise” for his dissertation in a public lecture.

UST said it had been declared by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) an “autonomous higher educational institution (HEI)” according to the following criteria: “long tradition of integrity and untarnished reputation, commitment to excellence, and sustainability and viability of operations.”

“As an autonomous university and no less than the cradle of higher education in the Philippines and the oldest university in Asia, the University of Santo Tomas knows academic rules and sees to their proper observance,” said UST, which is closing this month its yearlong quadricentenary celebration. It was founded by the Dominicans in 1611.

“As an autonomous HEI, the University of Santo Tomas enjoys an institutional academic freedom to set its standards of quality and excellence and determine to whom it shall confer appropriate degrees,” said UST.

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