University executive charged over illegal fees

MANILA, Philippines –  For allegedly collecting unauthorized fees from freshman students, the Office of the Ombudsman ordered yesterday the filing of graft charges against an official of the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology (EARIST) campus in Cavite.

Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutierrez said director Eledio Acibar, according to a complaint filed by five faculty members, ordered the collection of a P30 uniform rebate fee from freshmen students for the school year 2008-2009. 

Acibar, in his counter-affidavit, justified the collection by saying the amount goes to the university as part of an income-generating scheme designed to augment its declining government subsidy.

Gutierrez said the P30 rebate “appears not to have been sanctioned by the university’s governing board” and the students “did not receive anything in exchange for this unauthorized collection.”

She added that Acibar’s act of allowing the uniform rebate “without first checking whether said acts could be validly authorized at his level” constitutes gross inexcusable negligence.

Gutierrez also suspended Acibar for one month for violating the code of conduct for government officials and employees.