University prexy faces graft for unliquidated P0.56-M cash advances

by Zaff Solmerin / Correspondent

THE president of a government university was ordered charged by the Office of the Ombudsman for violating Article 218 of the Revised Penal Code for his failure to liquidate cash advances amounting to P555,778.90 from an educational study project in 2004.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said respondent Eldigario Gonzales is the president of the Western Mindanao State University.

In a 16-page order, Merceditas approved the recommendation of government investigators for the filing of graft charges against Gonzales before the Sandiganbayan based on information gathered from the Commission on Audit (COA).

The case against Gonzales stemmed from an examination conducted by the COA on the expenses of an educational study conducted by the WMSU in 2004.

“Case records are replete with pieces of evidence more than sufficient to support a finding of probable cause, against respondent, for violation of Art. 218 of the RPC, Failure of Accountable Officer to Render Accounts,” Gutierrez said in her order.

In the same order, Gutierrez also directed government prosecutors to file charges against other school officials for various offenses.

Manuel Rebollos, principal of the Manicahan National High School in Zamboanga City, was charged for acts of lasciviousness after Leizel Esona, a teacher, accused him of touching her in a “sexually suggestive way” against her will.

Gutierrez also placed under preventive suspension Wilma Padama, principal, and Noel A. Caballes, physics teacher, both of Burgos National High School in Pangasinan.

The two were charged with grave misconduct after a 16-year-old male student accused Caballes of sexually abusing him and Padama of covering up the incident to avoid criminal prosecution of the offender.

In his complaint, the student claimed that Caballes invited him after their class to proceed to his house to finish a school project.

When the project was finished, Caballes convinced the student to sleep over and sexually abused the latter while he was sleeping.

Padama, on the other hand, allegedly told the student not to report the incident to the police in order to avoid a public scandal, and required him to sign a document to the effect without allowing him to read nor understand the same.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman also dismissed from the service Ricardo Marfiga, principal of the Masbate National Comprehensive High School (MNCHS) in Pangasinan for misconduct after he was accused of collecting unauthorized fees from students.

In a complaint filed by concerned parents and students of the MNCHS, it was alleged that Marfiga collected fees for use of computers, and sold items that were usually given free to students like test papers; imposed arbitrary fines for late enrollees and latecomers; used the services of the school driver to fetch his wife and children to and from office and school; and allowed cockfighting and taking bets inside the school.

In a two-page decision, the Ombudsman noted that Marfiga himself admitted some of the alleged acts, such as the collection and imposition of fees and having allowed cockfighting inside the campus.

“Complainant’s evidence and respondent’s admission, therefore, are sufficient as constituting substantial evidence,” Gutierrez said.

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So much money is wasted on unliquidated cash advances! If cash advances were really spent why is it that they can't liquidate them?