Why, prof?

A 49-year-old high school teacher, who has lived in Europe for 18 years before returning in February this year, was hauled off to jail after he was caught stealing three packs of cigarettes in a department store’s supermarket Monday night in Caloocan City.

"I blacked out, I was simply dazzled by the colors of the cigarette packs and could not resist the temptation," said Carlos Yumol, single of 737 Avellana street, Manuguit, Tondo, Manila, a Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSE) graduate of Far Eastern University (FEU) and former teacher at the Felipe Calderon High School at Hermosa corner Manuguit in Manila.

SPO2 Antonio Penaranda, on case, said Yumol was collared by guards at the Ever Gotesco Mall in Caloocan City at around 6:30 p.m.

"I never smoked in my whole life," said Yumol after filching a pack each of Marlboro, Hope and Lucky Strike off the racks at the department store.

Speaking in fractured English, Yumol, in his cell, told his incredible story about how he landed in jail.

Yumol said he left the country a day after EDSA people power in Feb. 26, 1986. Armed with his education degree to Italy, he said he allegedly took postgraduate studies (Teaching Italian as a Secondary Language) at the University of Asti (UA) in Western Italy receiving summa cum laude honors when he graduated there in 1988. He said he later taught English tutoring children of private families. He went back to the country last month and allegedly applied to teach again at Calderon High. He was told to wait for available slots this June.

"Please write in a good word for me. I am a very respected person abroad. I was the first Filipino to graduate with highest honors there (UA) What I did was very shameful. I have never been in jail before," a remorseful Yumol, speaking English with a distinct Italian accent, pleaded with The STAR.

He said he is considering going back to Asti after this episode in his life, saying he has no more relatives in the city and his family are all living abroad.