DepEd employee indicted for forgery

CEBU, Philippines -  The Office of the Ombudsman Visayas indicted a liaison officer of the Department of Education-Cebu Province for falsifying the signature of a retired teacher of Medellin Elementary School just for P1,710.20.

Graft investigator Llorene Grace Ompod found probable cause to elevate the case of estafa through falsification of public document against Elbert Ybañez to the court.

Ompod recommended P24,000 bail bond for Ybañez’ temporary liberty.

The graft investigator said the failure of the respondent to file his counter-affidavit to the complaint filed by Helen Catarig, retired teacher of Medellin Elementary School, before their office made her recommend the filing of case before the court.

Catarig alleged that on August 15, 2007 she went to Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) office in Cebu City to apply for her Cash Surrender or Termination Value, however, she discovered there was another person who applied for it by forging her signature.

Catarig then sought the help of the GSIS personnel to recover her Cash Surrender or Termination Value worth P1,710.20.

The GSIS personnel advised her to file a complaint against the respondent in order to recover the P1,710.20.

On September 6, 2007 Assistant Deputy Ombudsman Virginia Santiago sent a letter to Cecelia Gasendo of GSIS Branch Manager regarding the problem of Catarig.

Gasendo said it was Ybañez who claimed the Cash Surrender or Termination Value of Catarig on March 14, 2007.

The Office of the Ombudsman then set a conference on December 10, 2007 requesting the presence of Ybañez but the latter failed to appear.

The anti-graft office likewise ordered Ybañez to file his counter-affidavit but he waived his right to file the same to refute the allegations filed against him. — (FREEMAN)