Ombudsman suspends CHEd exec for 3 months

MANILA, Philippines — Ombudsman Samuel Martires has ordered the three-month suspension without pay of embattled Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Executive Director Julito Vitriolo.

In an order dated Oct. 4 but released on Tuesday, the Ombudsman said the suspension stemmed from the decision which found Vitriolo guilty of simple misconduct over a complaint filed by former CHEd chairperson Patricia Licuanan.

The complaint stemmed from Vitriolo’s issuance of a memorandum recommending that CHEd issue a provisional permit in favor of a private school. The memorandum was in violation of CHEd’s en banc resolution, which earlier disapproved the said school’s application.

“Vitriolo issued the memorandum without due regard to the policies and guidelines of CHEd,” the Ombudsman said.

However, before the suspension order came out this month, Vitriolo was already dismissed from CHEd, also on the order of the Ombudsman.

In December 2016, the Ombudsman dismissed Vitriolo from service due to gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, inefficiency and incompetence.

In particular, the Ombudsman said Vitriolo did not act on an alleged “diploma mill” that supposedly allowed the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila to issue transcripts and diplomas for already suspended degree programs. —PATRICIA DENISE M. CHIU