The former president of Batangas State University sentenced to 10 years for graft has surrendered, the Sandiganbayan has learned.
In an April 12 letter to the Sandiganbayan Special Second Division, Department of Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes told the court that Ernesto De Chavez and his vice president for academic affairs Rolando Lontok Jr. surrendered to Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on April 11 at 6 p.m. in the Department of Justice office.
Chavez and Lontok were turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and are now in custody at the NBI detention center, Balmes said.
“Acting upon the authority given by the DOJ Secretary, this communication is being made for the kind information of the honorable court,” Balmes wrote.
The two surrendered to authorities after the Sandiganbayan Second Division last year convicted De Chavez and Lontok of graft for illegally collecting P550 from each student as school internet fee.
READ: Ex-state university president gets 10 years for graft
Witnesses said the fee collection was not sanctioned by the school board and not supported with official receipts.
The collected fees ended up 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 court said in its decision.
De Chavez was sentenced to serve jail term from six to ten years and was also meted out the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office.
The Sandiganbayan archived the graft case of Lontok, who was then at large.
In 2012, Chavez and Lontok were convicted by the Sandiganbayan of graft for unlawfully requiring students to pay P140 to their class treasurers to rent graduation gown and caps from De Chavez’s gown rental business.
They were both sentenced to an indeterminate penalty of six years and one month to 10 years imprisonment and perpetual disqualification from public office. JE/rga