Syjuco faces raps before GMA Anti-Graft Commission
A group of disgruntled employees of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) formally lodged a complaint against, their 'boss', Director General Augusto "Boboy" Syjuco.
With a corresponding plea for suspension or at least for a leave of absence of Syjuco pending investigation, venue of said complaint is no less than the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC). The probe body was created under the Office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Syjuco's appointing officer.
Standing for and in behalf of the complainants is Annie Geron, General Secretary of the Tesda employees union, an affiliate of Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLink). PSLink stands as one of the country's biggest organization of government employees representing over 80,000 rank and file workers in government.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo, Geron who has since served TESDA for thirty years vowed they will pursue the complaint if only to provide answers and justice to the P9.1 million Tesda fund.
In a three-page letter to PAGC chair Dr. Constancia De Guzman obtained by The News Today (TNT), Geron laid down a chronology of the alleged anomalous transaction surrounding the P9.1 million book deal of Tesda. And it was all in day's work back in August 17, 2006, Geron noted with the documents submitted to PAGC stating the day's negotiations, eventual delivery of the books and official receipt of an P8.6 million check on August 18th.
Chairman De Guzman in response to Geron's charges sought for a verified complaint alongside the evidences in support of the group's allegations. A ten-day period was given to the complainants. TNT learned that to date all documents were already submitted with Geron's group optimistic of PAGC giving due course to the charges.
A total of fourteen "information" were provided as basis for the graft raps, nine of which stating the speedy process realized in August 17th alone. For instance, Geron stated how at 7:30 p.m. that day, Syjuco reportedly instructed a staff at the Tesda Cash Unit to prepare a check amounting to P8,601,562. Disbursement voucher No. 06-0669 code 208-01-01-01 was then issued and signed by Syjuco also on August 17th, payment received by a certain Fahmi Asuncion also August 17th, same date for the date of inspection and acceptance report, date of sales invoice, date of counter receipt, date of service contract and its corresponding notarization.
Questions were also raised on the alleged undated Tesda Bids and Awards Committee Resolution relative to the book deal as well as bid documents from other supposed bidders.
Further still were doubts raised on the bidding process with Geron's group able to reach one supposed bidder, Consolidated Paper Products Incorporated.
"This company did not submit any quotation to Tesda. It also expresses willingness to cooperate during the investigation to clear their company name," the complaint went.
"We are gravely concerned of the union's initial findings and the amount involved warrants the PAGC expeditious investigation. Director General Syjuco being the highest official of TESDA is in a position to undermine the investigation and suppress the process of finding the truth," the letter-complaint continued.
"The union members who courageously expose this transaction are vulnerable to harassment and intimidation. PSLink is therefore calling upon the PAGC to ensure that DG Syjuco will not be able to take any action against the whistleblowers or for him to take action to either hide, destroy or alter documents material to this case."