Ex-TESDA exec, wife get 10 years for graft
A former official of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and his wife have been sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison for graft.
Edwin Villanueva, former TESDA director in Aklan, was found guilty of violation of Section 3 (d) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for transacting business with a private firm wherein his wife Nida was among the officers, the Sandiganbayan’s First Division said in a 16-page decision released yesterday.
Section 3 (d) of RA 3019 prohibits public officials from having any member of their family accept employment in a private enterprise with pending official business with the government.
The anti-graft court also ordered the couple’s perpetual disqualification from holding public office.
Based on the complaint filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2012, Nida was among the incorporators and directors of Rayborn-Agzam Center for Education Inc. (RACE), a private competency assessment center which had official business with TESDAAklan.
Graft probers said Villanueva approved the accreditation of RACE as TESDA-Aklan’s partner in November 2010.
The ombudsman said Villanueva also appointed Nida as TESDA’s competency assessor for RACE from July 15, 2011 to Oct. 24, 2011. In return, she received P250 as assessor’s fee for every candidate for scholarships.
The Sandiganbayan found no merit in Villanueva’s defense that he was not aware of his wife’s employment in RACE.
”Inasmuch as we presume regularity in the performance of duties of the provincial director, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that Edwin was familiar with the incorporation documents of RACE and was...aware of his wife’s involvement with RACE when he gave his endorsement,” the court ruling stated.
“The acts of Edwin and Nida… show conspiracy between the accused,” it added.
The ruling was penned by Associate Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, with the concurrence of Associate Justices Efren de la Cruz and Edgardo Caldona.