Ombudsman orders EARIST president axed

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the dismissal of Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) president Eduardo Caillo in connection with unliquidated cash advances at a school where he previously worked.

The Ombudsman ordered the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on July 2 to implement its 2007 ruling finding Caillo guilty of neglect of duty and grave misconduct while he was still president of the Tiburcio Tancinco Memorial Institute of Science and Technology in Calbayog City, Samar.

Acting Ombudsman Orlando Casimiro told CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan that “an appeal shall not stop the decision from being executed” and “the filing of a motion for reconsideration or a petition for review… does not operate to stay the implementation” of the ruling.

The STAR tried to get a comment from EARIST and Caillo, but neither have responded as of press time.

The Manila Police District (MPD) is eyeing Caillo, who joined EARIST in 2008, for possible links to the murders of two school officials: vice president Noel Cabrera on May 12 and administrative officer Alvin Asuncion on April 14, 2010.

Cabrera’s brother issued an affidavit saying the victim refused to sign a P2-million cash advance of Caillo, who had just come from a suspension in another case. He said the school president may have also harbored a grudge against his brother for receiving a subpoena addressed to Caillo from the Office of the Ombudsman.

“It’s all circumstantial as of today, but we are closely looking at his statement. We are still trying to connect things that could lead to the arrest of the suspects,” Senior Police Officer Alonzo Layugan told The STAR.

Cabrera was slated to take over the top post as officer-in-charge before he was killed, a source in EARIST said.

Layugan said Emmanuel’s statement prompted them to review the case of Asuncion, who reportedly failed to sign a check before he was ambushed along Araneta Avenue in Quezon City.

Layugan said the similarities between the two cases gave them reason to believe one person may be behind the two attacks.