Sandigan affirms estafa conviction of DepEd official

THE Sandiganbayan has affirmed the conviction of an official of the Department of Education in Talisay City, Cebu for three counts of estafa for allegedly asking and receiving cash from three applicants for teaching positions in 2014.

In a 45-page resolution, the anti-graft court’s Fourth Division threw out the appeal of defendant Sisinia Villaver-Vasquez, Education Program supervisor for DepEd-Talisay City, for lack of merit. However, it reduced the sentence imposed on the accused by the Talisay City Regional Trial Court Branch 66, from a maximum of four months and 20 days for each count to just three months and 11 days.

Vasquez was also ordered to pay each private complainant P15,000 as restitution subject to 6 percent yearly interest until paid in full computed from the finality of the decision.

Based on case records, teacher applicants Dannievoy Restauro, Ivee Jeruta, and Carla Yvetta Suralta applied for the post of Teacher 1 in early 2014 but were summoned to the house of the accused where they were told they must cough up money as “pahalipay,” or an expression of gratitude.

Vasquez allegedly told them the money was requested by Maria Lourdes Ipong, chief supervisor of the DepEd-Talisay City Curriculum Implementation Division.

Restauro testified that he was asked by the defendant to pay P50,000 while the other two said they were told to deliver P30,000 each.

The three applicants said they were able to pay only P15,000 upfront and had to give their word that the balance would be delivered later.

Ipong, in her testimony during trial, said she became aware that she was namedropped by Vasquez only months later when another teacher approached her to complain about rumors of having paid the division chief supervisor P100,000 in exchange for her appointment as a regular teacher.

The same teacher revealed that several other colleagues have informed her that Vasquez collected money from them in Ipong’s name.

Ipong then gathered the victims and filed a formal complaint against Vasquez before the Civil Service Commission.

The Sandiganbayan said it found the evidence against the accused more than sufficient to establish her guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

“The totality