Falsification case vs. Toledo school district supervisor now in court

CEBU, Philippines – The Office of the Visayas Ombudsman elevated the falsification case of the public school district supervisor of Toledo City, Cebu, to court after they found merit to the complaint.

Graft investigator Portia Suson said that she found probable cause against Francisco Villaester III for one count of falsification of public documents after the latter allegedly falsifying the signature of DepEd-7 administrative officer Ida Cabantan.

The complainant was Jose Cabantan, schools division superintendent of the Department of Education of Toledo, who claimed to be the direct supervisor of the accused.

He said that Villaester left the office without his permission and went to the Matabang National High School, Matabang, Toledo, on October 26, 2004 and the DepEd Regional office on Nov. 16, 2004. However, he said that in the Daily Time Record of the accused it was indicated that he was present in the office during those days and he still collected his full salary.

In his counter-affidavit, Villaester denied that he was under the direct supervision of the complainant and asserted that his immediate superior was the assistant school division superintendent Dr. Fernando Po.

He said that on October 26, 2004, he offered to Po to use his private car and his services for the latter's three-day validation of his Career Executive Service Eligibility in Toledo.

Villaester said that he never falsified his DTR since he had rendered services during the said date.

He alleged that on November 16, 2004 the accused claimed that he submitted to Camila Caparida, division supervisor of Toledo City, his investigation report regarding a teacher of Lower Tubod Elementary School who was charged with the rape of a 14-year-old girl.

He said that after he handed his report to Caparida, he asked permission to go to the DepEd Regional Office to give a copy of the said report in compliance with Cabantan's text message requesting him to do so.

However, in her letter addressed to the office of the Ombudsman on January 27, 2005, Cabantan denied seeing Villaester on Nov. 16 for issuing to him a Certificate of Appearance during the same date.

Graft Prosecutor Suson said that claim of the accused that he was at the Regional office with the certificate of appearance signed by Cabantan on Nov. 16 was considered an act of constitute falsification by counterfeiting or imitating the signature of Cabantan. (FREEMAN)