Rasa: I didn’t assist SU, Park

Saying he wants to set the record straight, former House Speaker Oscar Rasa said he never assisted Saipan University engage in fraudulent acts against its Chinese students last year.

Rasa was commenting on an earlier report when his and former congressman Herman Palacios’ names cropped up in a prosecution witness’ testimony as among those who allegedly provided assistance to the defunct university in its efforts to bring in and accommodate Chinese students on Saipan.

“It seems to me that the headline is totally unfair and is not supported by the story: ‘Palacios, Rasa, others assisted SU, ex-lawmakers’ names crop up in multiple fraud trial,’” said Rasa in an interview last week. “One would think that we’re part of a conspiracy to defraud the students. That’s not correct.”

For the record, he said, “I never assisted Saipan University.”

Rasa explained that he, together with Palacios, had met with SU founder Soon Kyung Park twice last year to help former SU president Jullie Ulloa clarify some of her concerns about the university. At that time, he said Ulloa was already uncomfortable over what she perceived as potential problems and had brought up this matter with him, prompting him and Palacios to meet with Park to bring these matters up.

Rasa said he met with Park, an interpreter, and Ulloa at Palacios’ Herjoy Apartment in San Antonio to discuss payment of bond, curriculum, and facilities.

He said he and Palacios met Park again and his team, including Ulloa, at Park’s apartment in As Lito.

During the second meeting, Rasa said that Ulloa also aired her concern about her lack of authority on budget matters.

Those meetings, according to Rasa, does not mean “assistance” to SU. He explained that he was there only because Ulloa asked him for his opinion “as a certificated educator.”

This gesture, Rasa said, is not assisting SU. “You have to differentiate Dr. Ulloa from SU. I was there because of her. She’s been complaining about her problems with SU,” he said.

Ulloa assumed the SU presidency in August 2003 until her resignation on Oct. 15, 2003. Rasa’s meetings with her and Park took place during her presidency of the university. Rasa said Ulloa sought his advice because she knew about his credentials.

“I have full lifetime credentials issued by the State of California in four areas: an instructor’s credentials that authorizes me to teach in any community college (in California); a credential to teach public administration; a supervisor’s credential that gives me an authority to consult, advise, etc.; and a chief executive officer’s credential that authorizes me to be superintendent or president of a college,” he said.

Rasa said that he could never be accused of conspiring with SU because he was the one telling Ulloa that the university could not offer its set curriculum.

“I told her, you can’t teach this. When she was facing problems, I was the one who told her to keep a diary,” he said.

According to Rasa, Ulloa approached Palacios because she is a relative: her sister is married to Palacios’ son, Douglas.

Douglas and another brother, Troy, worked for SU. Both later filed a lawsuit against Park for nonpayment.

“So there’s no way we’d be ‘assisting’ SU in a conspiracy,” he stressed.

Park was convicted of fraud charges Wednesday last week at U.S. Federal District Court.

A federal jury found Wednesday that Park is guilty of acts to defraud students by misrepresentation of information during the recruitment process in China such as giving false promises about jobs in the CNMI, SU facilities and course offerings.

Park brought in 53 students to Saipan on Sept. 8, 2003, eight students on Sept. 27, and 35 students on Oct. 5, 2003.

Some of them had received refunds and went back to China, while others—about 88—remained on island to pursue the case against Park.