5 Mindanao state school execs face graft

MANILA, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of separate graft charges against five school officials of two state universities in Mindanao for the alleged anomalous disbursements of their respective campuses.  

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales found sufficient grounds to file malversation charge against Rex Dapitan, vice president for finance of the Sultan Kudarat State University.

The Office also recommended the filing of graft charges against Mohammad Asady Mandangan Hussin, president of the Tawi-Tawi Regional Agricultural College (TTRAC); Assistant Professor IV Berma Salih Omarali, Instructor I Mernalyn Abbas Isa and Associate Professor III Sahajim Hamis Hassan, all of the TRRAC. 

The Office discovered that Dapitan disbursed P50,625 school funds under the pretense of attending the "Lakbay Aral" program. 

It said that records showed that the cash advance was used to defray the expenses incurred by Dapitan and other school officials when they attended the wedding of co-employees in Carrascal, Surigao Del Sur in October 2010.  

In the separate case involving TTRAC officials, Ombudsman Morales approved the filing of malversation and graft cases against TTRAC executives in connection with the anomalous conversion of checks amounting to P8,623,930 for their own personal use.

Records disclosed that TTRAC officials failed to present supporting documents for the 21 check issuances such as purchase orders, purchase requests, disbursement vouchers, delivery receipts, inspection and acceptance reports or contracts.  

The state college executives also failed to present proof for the purported acquisition of office equipment, supplies and construction projects as there were no liquidation documents were submitted.