A FORMER senior high school teacher of an exclusive school in Davao City and long-time LET watcher insisted the exam questions found on his phone were for “personal consumption” and not intended for “business purposes”, after being arrested for allegedly leaking test materials during the September 2025 exams.
The suspect, identified only as a 29-year-old “Frank,” was apprehended by the National Bureau of Investigation-Southeastern Mindanao Regional Office (NBI-Semro) at the examination site – Davao City National High School – on Sunday, September 21, and was shown to the media the following day.
“I have to face criminal charges by the PRC. I will get my lawyer to prove my point, and during the dissemination of my two cellphones, gihalughog nila tanan pati messenger (they checked everything, my two phones, even my Messenger), but there was no found transmission of the exam items,” he told reporters.
"Frank" said the files were strictly for personal reference.
When asked if he had sent photos to review centers, Frank said he would respond through his lawyer once the formal investigation begins.
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)-Davao Regional Director Raquel Abrantes said the suspect had surfaced in a similar case during the March 2025 board exams, but authorities lacked enough evidence at the time.
She said that stronger evidence this time led the PRC to coordinate with the NBI, which resulted in the suspect’s arrest.
Investigators said the teacher allegedly admitted to sending exam photos to a review center for P10,000. He reportedly handed over one phone before the exam, but was later caught carrying another device used to take the images.
Despite the controversy, Abrantes reassured the public that the integrity of the exam remains intact.
“Walang test question na ginawa ngayon na uulitin sa next exam (No test question created for this exam will be repeated in the next one)," she said, noting this is the first time a contracted LET watcher in Davao Region has faced such allegations.
The PRC, together with the NBI and the Philippine National Police, is preparing administrative and criminal charges against Frank under the PRC Modernization Act of 2000 (RA 8981), as amended by RA 9416. Conviction could bring six to 12 years in prison, fines of P50,000 to P100,000, and a lifetime ban from government exams.
Authorities are also probing possible involvement of review centers. PRC-Davao said it is waiting for a decision from its central office on whether the September 2025 LET results will stand or require a retake. DEF