|
Thursday, November 13, 2008
NBI nabs teacher for selling fake diploma
CEBU CITY -- A teacher assigned to the Lipata Night High School in Minglanilla town fell in an entrapment operation Wednesday for allegedly selling fake diplomas.
Alfredo Tinga was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Central Visayas operatives after he was caught selling a diploma to an undercover asset.
What's your take on the Mindanao crisis? Discuss views with other readers
"We were able to obtain numerous blank diplomas from a few universities. We were also able to recover blank forms corresponding to official transcripts of records," said NBI-Central Visayas Executive Officer and Head Agent Ernesto Macabare.
The NBI, however, released Tinga from custody on Wednesday afternoon after failing to get a certification from the Department of Education (DepEd) to prove his status as a government official.
"Without it, we could go to the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas to charge him under inquest investigation. But we will still file a complaint against him under regular preliminary investigation as soon as we obtain the certification," said lawyer Bernard dela Cruz, the agent assigned to the case.
Tinga was arrested along P. Lopez St., Cebu City, in front of the University of San Jose Recoletos.
He drew the NBI's interest after an anonymous complaint.
An NBI employee, who was used as an undercover asset, went to Tinga last November 10 for the printing of a diploma needed for a job application.
According to the affidavit of the undercover asset, Tinga charged him P800 for the document.
The asset narrated that he asked Tinga for an affidavit of loss and a diploma from the Bulasa National High School in Argao town, Cebu.
He also quoted Tinga as saying that it would be faster if he fabricated a diploma from a school in Mandaue City instead.
Tinga supposedly asked for a down payment of P200, covering the affidavit of loss. The P800 for the diploma was to be given the following day, Tuesday, when the diploma was ready.
Dela Cruz said the asset reported back to him with the details. Planning for the actual arrest, including the preparation of marked money to be used in the bust, then followed.
NBI operatives went to P. Lopez St. last Tuesday and positioned themselves near Tinga's stall.
The asset followed moments later and immediately approached Tinga.
Upon seeing the asset, dela Cruz narrated, Tinga then produced a brown envelope that contained the diploma.
The asset, in turn, produced the marked money and paid him.
Tinga was then taken down and the marked bills, retrieved.
At the NBI office, agents inspected the diploma and the affidavit of loss, which bore the signature of a lawyer. (Sun.Star Cebu is withholding the name of the lawyer, pending his comment.)
Tinga tested positive for traces of the ultra-violet powder used to mark the bills. (KNR of Sun.Star Cebu)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Iloilo. (November 13, 2008 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
P28-M in marijuana destroyed