Ex-Southern Leyte gov charged for ‘faking’ credentials

Dismissed Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado has been charged in the Sandiganbayan with two counts of falsification for allegedly falsely claiming to be an engineer and failing to detail his educational credentials in 2010.

Mercado was accused of falsely claiming in his personal data sheet filed with the Civil Service Commission that he graduated with a degree in “Bachelor of Science in Engineering” from the University of the Visayas (UV).

Ombudsman prosecutors alleged that he “did not enroll at the said university.”

He also allegedly failed to indicate in his personal data sheet the periods when he completed his elementary education at Maasin Central School, and his secondary education at UV.

Mercado was also accused of entering false statements in his data capture form submitted to the Department of the Interior and Local Government for the purpose of the Elective Local Office’s Profile Directory. —Vince F. Nonato