Ex-Batangas university execs charged with graft, estafa surrender to DOJ

Two former officials of the Batangas State University (BSU) who were charged with graft and estafa for the allegedly anomalous collection of internet fees from students have surrendered to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II.

In his letter addressed to the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division, Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes said former BSU president Ernesto De Chavez and former BSU vice president for academic affairs Rolando Lontok Jr. surrendered to Aguirre on April 11 at around 6 p.m.

De Chavez and Lontok were turned over to National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Dante Gierran on the same day.

The former BSU officials are currently detained at the NBI Detention Center in Manila.

In a Mar. 31, 2016 decision, the anti-graft court found De Chavez guilty of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

He was sentenced to six to 10 years of imprisonment and was ordered perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

De Chavez, however, was acquitted from his estafa case for insufficiency of evidence.

Meanwhile, the case against Lontok was ordered indefinitely archived as he was at large at that time.

In its decision, the court said the prosecution was able to present sufficient evidence proving that De Chavez, in conspiracy with Lontok, collected P550 from each student as school internet fee from the years 2000 to 2002.

The court said several witnesses from the prosecution unanimously attested that the collection of internet fee was not approved and sanctioned by the school board and was not supported with official receipts.

The court gave weight on the testimonies of some bank officials that the collected fees were deposited in the personal bank accounts of De Chavez and Lontok.

“The system of collection and disbursement of expenses designed by the accused also gave them unwarranted benefit, allowing them to spend the internet fund, totaling close to P500,000.00, as they please, since it would no longer be subjected to the usual procedure of procurement and accounting required for public funds,” the decision read.

In 2012, De Chavez and Lontok were also sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring to have students rent graduation caps and gowns from a shop owned by one of them. —ALG, GMA News