Some 30 doctors and employees of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) held placards and posters instead of the usual medical equipment during a protest rally Monday to show their indignation on what they describe as the unjust ouster of recently appointed PGH director Dr. Jose Gonzales allegedly by the University of the Philippines Board of Regents (UP-BOR).

Chants made by members of LABAN UP-PGH Movement and All UP Workers Union - Manila saying, “Ibalik si Gonzales (retain Gonzales),” were heard by outgoing and incoming patients and several passersby in front of the PGH as early as 7 a.m. Monday.

Circling near the gate, protesters could not help but show their disgust at the decision taken by the UP-BOR to unseat Gonzales from his post, describing the move as "abusive" and "a way to curtail the employees’ democratic process."

"A grave abuse of power has been done at the State University where we were taught the importance of dissent and critical thinking, where we learned to love democratic principles and idealism. It is time to wake up from our apathy and fight not just for Joegon (Jose Gonzales) but also for what he represents and for what our conscience deems as just and right," said Joselle Edizarte, national executive vice-president of All UP Workers Union Manila.

Gonzales, who was elected by the BOR as PGH director last Dec. 18, 2009 by a vote of 6–5 against Dr. Carmelo Alfiler, a former director, was ousted when the UP-BOR decided to hold a new election last Feb. 25 after the former's appointment was questioned due to a vote made by a student regent who was supposedly not qualified to vote because of failure to enroll this semester.

In the voting made last Feb. 25, Dr. Eric Domingo got six votes while Gonzales and Alfiler both got zero.

In a statement, members of the Laban UP-PGH Movement claimed that Gonzales had been allegedly politicized by several factions within the organization due to the ousted director's "ambiguous stand on controversial issues in PGH" including the supposed disadvantageous deal made between UP's BOR and the Daniel Mercado Medical Center that would soon operate a private laboratory, diagnostics, pharmacy and outpatient clinic within PGH itself.

"He (Gonzales) has been singled out as the main stumbling block to the estimated hundreds of millions of pesos in profit that is grossly slanted to favor only a non-PGH entity," said Laban UP-PGH. Sought for comment, Dr. Michael Tee, spokesman of PGH, explained the appointment of Domingo was legal since six regents voting in favor and none against the doctor's appointment. "The appointment was unanimous. Three regents abstained while six of them voted in favor of it. His appointment took effect immediately," he told the Manila Bulletin in a telephone interview.

He likewise denied that Domingo was being singled out by the institution and the doctor's removal from the post was made fairly and in accordance with the democratic processes being observed by the hospital.

In explaining Gonzales ouster, Tee said the election of Domingo came after the Board of Regents voted to consider and, thereafter, grant a protest made by Regent Abraham F. Sarmiento against its earlier vote, during its meeting on Dec. 18, 2009, electing Dr. Jose Gonzales as Director of the PGH replacing Dr. Carmelo Alfiler, whose second term as Director expired on Dec. 31, 2009.

According to the PGH spokesman, Sarmiento’s protest was anchored on the disqualification of the former Student Regent Charisse Bernadine Bañez, as of the Dec. 18 Board meeting, due to her having failed to enroll as a student. This disqualifed her from sitting as a Student Regent.

"In granting the protest, the Board first reconsidered its December 2009 decision to allow the former Student Regent to vote. Thereafter, the Board decided on the validity or nullity of the December 2009 elections which resulted in the selection of Dr. Gonzales as PGH Director; the Board voted, by a majority, to declare the December 2009 election void," he said.