THE Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas suspended a public school teacher from Cebu City for six months and a day over alleged misconduct and unauthorized collection of school fees amounting to P46,440 last year.
Graft Investigation and Prosecution Officer Irish Inabangan-Amores found Rico Cayanan, teacher 1 of Abellana National High School liable for conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
“The unauthorized collection of fees and misbehavior tainted the public office that respondent so holds. It creates a bad impression to the teachers of Abellana National High School to the detriment of public service,” said Amores in her decision.
The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the ombudsman’s Field Investigation Office accusing Cayanan of unauthorized collection of school fees amounting to P46,440 and improper behavior in the performance of his functions as public school teacher.
A sworn statement of the school principal and affidavits of 54 students of Cayanan were among the evidence gathered by the anti-graft body.
The students complained that Cayanan collected from them P100 as payment for used air-conditioning unit, P90 as payment for spa machine, P80 for a steamer, P100 for tarpaulin, among others.
The teacher also sold allegedly overpriced items to his students. He forced his students to buy his goods in exchange for additional grading points.
Replying to the charges, Cayanan said that the items he was selling were part of their cosmetology beauty care subject, which he handled.
Since the school did not provide for the facilities and materials, Cayanan said he had to buy the materials and would allow his students to use these for free.
He said the students agreed to pool their resources together to buy equipment and tools, insisting that he did not compel them to purchase the materials.
Amores, however, gave weight to the students’ affidavit detailing Cayanan’s alleged wrongdoing.
“He should at all times respect his students as well as restraint himself from acts unbecoming of a public official and instead sets himself from acts unbecoming of a public official and instead sets himself as a role model to his students,” said Amores.