2 more San Jose Del Monte execs face raps in seminar cheating case

MANILA, Philippines—Two more officials from San Jose Del Monte City in Bulacan are facing complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman for allegedly conspiring with two other local officials accused of faking a seminar attendance to obtain a public administration certificate.

Jason Cruz filed the complaints on Thursday, October 17, against Barangay Kagawad Vanessa Michelle Roquero and Counsilor Liezel Aguirre-Abat.

The two local officials were accused of conspiring with Councilor Richard Maurice Robes and his son Barangay Kagawad Richard Maurice Robes III.

A letter from the University of the Philippines’ National College of Public Administration and Governance (UP-NCPAG) showed that the Center for Local and Regional Governance decided to withhold the certificates of completion given to Councilor Richard Robes because it was his son who actually attended the five-day training.

“(I)t is with great regret that our Center decided to withhold their Certificates of Completion given information that we received regarding the identity of the person who attended as Councilor Robes,” CLRG Director Dr. Erwin Alampay said.

“On the last day of the course, it came to our attention that someone who identified himself as Councilor Robes, but was not Councilor Robes, was attending in his stead,” Alampay said.

Roquero and Aguirre-Abat also attended the seminar titled, “Introduction to Excellence in Local Legislation (iExcelL).”

The local officials were slapped with complaints of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

On Monday, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) Commissioner Manuelito Luna said Councilor Robes may face a dishonesty or misconduct charge over the issue.

He also urged CLRG to file a case, although Alampay himself said in the letter that they would no longer take further action on the case.