The Philippine Online Chronicles

A group of government workers filed a plunder case against Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA) director Augusto Syjuco, Jr. with the Office of the Ombudsman today.

This came after a Commission on Audit report, which showed probable evidence of “irregularities” and “overpricing” in TESDA's procurement of equipment, reportedly amounting to P3.8 billion.

“Syjuco must be made accountable for no less than P3.8 billion in anomalies during his term. This includes wasteful caravans and unnecessary spending on infomercials, ridiculously high telephone bills and frequent travels to Iloilo... insufficiently documented expenditures on representation… and diversion of at least P231 million to his favored District 2 of Iloilo in pursuit of his political goals and vested interests," said Annie Geron, president of the Samahang Malaya at Nagkakaisang Kawani ng Tesda (Free and United Organization of Tesda Employees), in a GMA News Online interview.

She added in the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Syjuco “squandered billions of public funds supposedly intended to uplift the technical and vocational education in the country. Thick-skinned crooks like Syjuco do not belong to Congress but [in] prison."

TESDA spokesperson Marta Hernandez said that Syjuco “already requested help from the National Bureau of Investigation for a formal investigation."

Last year, a series of TV commercials about TESDA's programs were aired. The said advertisements feature Syjuco singing with pop star Sarah Geronimo in a move to endorse the TESDA program.

Syjuco is running for Congress in the second district of Iloilo under the administration party.

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