DepEd official in hot water for claiming teacher’s check

AN education official in Cebu was charged with estafa in court yesterday for allegedly forging the signature of a retired teacher to get  P1,710.20 in cash.

The Office of the Ombudsman indicted Elbert Ybanez on charges of estafa through falsification of public document. Bail was recommended at P24,000.

The case stemmed from the complaint of retired teacher Lelen Catarig of Medellin Elementary School.

On Aug. 17, 2007, Catarig went to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) office in Cebu City to apply for her Cash Surrender or Termination Value.

She was surprised when she discovered that another person applied for her Cash Surrender by forging her signatures.

Catarig said she never applied for it nor visited the GSIS office.

She later found out that it was Ybanez who applied for it in March 2007.

The respondent allegedly got P1,710.29. Ybanez, a liaison officer of the DepEd Cebu province division, was required to submit his counteraffidavit to refute the allegations.

However, the anti-graft office said he refused to comply with the order.

The respondent also failed to appear in a conference called by the anti-graft office, said graft investigation and prosecution officer Llorene Grace Razo-Ompod. Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol