Batangas university execs get 10 years

MANILA, Philippines - The Sandiganbayan has sentenced to 10 years in prison two former officials of the Batangas State University (BSU) for conspiring to have students rent graduation caps and gowns from a shop owned by one of them.

Former BSU president Ernesto de Chavez and former vice president for academic affairs Rolando Lontoc Sr. were also perpetually disqualified from holding any public office.

De Chavez and Lontoc were found guilty of violating Section 3 of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act “for giving themselves unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference.”

Records show that a graft case was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against De Chavez and Lontoc in November 2005.

During the trial, Assistant Special Prosecutor III Kristine Carreon, under the supervision of Deputy Special Prosecutor John Turalba, presented five witnesses to prove that the respondents violated specific provisions of the anti-graft law.

Bebette Carmela Villena Bisa, testified that as the assistant to the dean of the BSU in 2001, she collected rental fees for caps and gowns from the graduating students and personally remitted the money to Lontoc as payment to the family of De Chavez, who owns the gowns rental business.

The prosecution’s other witnesses said the payment for the rental of the caps and gown was made compulsory to all graduating students.

In a 15-page ruling by the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division chaired by Associate Justice Roland Jurado, the anti-graft court noted that the fact that Lontoc received money for the rental of caps and gowns on behalf of De Chavez and that these caps and gowns were delivered by the children of De Chavez “indubitably shows conspiracy between the two accused.”

“There is conspiracy when two or more persons come to an agreement concerning the commission of a felony and decide to commit it. Proof of the agreement need not rest on direct evidence, as the agreement itself may be inferred from the conduct of the parties disclosing a common understanding among them with respect to the commission of the offense,” the decision read.

The Sandiganbayan added that the students were “deprived of the chance to seek cheaper rental fees from other sources.”

It said De Chavez and Lontoc “were guaranteed steady and consistent financial benefits at the expense of the students. This constitutes evident bad faith.”

 “It is not part of the job description of a president and vice president for academic affairs of a state university to supply the graduating students with caps and gowns,” the ruling stated.