ILOILO CITY?THE COMplainant in the plunder case against former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) Director General Augusto Syjuco has scored the removal of Syjuco?s successor allegedly because of pressures from Syjuco.

Annie Geron, secretary general of the Public Services Labor Independent Confederation, said the removal of Rogelio Peyuan two days after Peyuan took his oath of office showed that Syjuco was still ?dipping his fingers? at the agency despite his resignation.

?The rift between Peyuan and Syjuco is just the tip of the iceberg and confirms how involved Syjuco is in all the anomalies in the agency,? Geron told Inquirer in a telephone interview on Friday.

No response

Syjuco did not respond to repeated calls from the Inquirer from Friday morning until late afternoon. An official of Tesda in Western Visayas said Syjuco was not feeling well since Thursday.

Peyuan was informed by newly appointed Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza on Wednesday night that his appointment was rescinded and he would most likely be appointed to a post under the Office of the Press Secretary.

?I was surprised because I just took my oath of office before the President on Monday,? Peyuan said in a telephone interview on Friday.

Peyuan said he was informed by his sources that Syjuco had lobbied to the President to rescind his appointment because Syjuco allegedly had cited Peyuan?s plan to misuse the agency?s funds.

But Peyuan said this was a flimsy excuse.

?How can I be sanctioned when I just assumed my post and I have not done any wrongdoing?? he said.

Source of friction

Peyuan said Syjuco had him removed from his post because he did not agree to Syjuco?s request to be involved in a P700-million scholarship program.

?He asked me to allow him to choose the schools that will be given scholarship vouchers of our P700-million program. But I did not agree,? Peyuan said.

He said that instead of agreeing with Syjuco, he had asked his former superior how they could pay for last year?s outstanding scholarship obligations to schools amounting to P2 billion.

Geron said Peyuan?s removal from his post showed that Syjuco still wants to be involved in Tesda projects and transactions despite his resignation.

Syjuco was among the executives who had to resign on March 2 after they filed their candidacies. He is running for representative of Iloilo?s second congressional district, a post now held by his wife Iloilo Rep. Judy Syjuco.

Plunder

Geron last month filed a P3.8-billion plunder case against Syjuco at the Office of the Ombudsman. She accused Syjuco of violating Republic Act No. 7080 or the Anti-Plunder Law, RA No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Government Officials and Employees) and the General Appropriations Act of 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Syjuco has dismissed the case as ?local politics? and a ?rehash of trumped-up charges.?

He said in an earlier interview that the complaint was ?ridiculous? and ?harassment,? claiming that all transactions of the agency and his expenses were accounted for.

Geron called on employees of the agency to speak out on alleged anomalies in the agency now that Syjuco has resigned from office.

?I appeal to them not to remain silent and to not allow themselves to be used as sacrificial lambs,? Geron said in an earlier interview.