FOR trying to save money on the repair cost of his private car amounting to P94,657.15, a former chancellor of the Mindanao State University (MSU)-Buug Campus in Zamboanga Sibugay ended up being sentenced to seven to ten years imprisonment with lifetime disqualification from holding any other position in government.
Worse, he had to repay the amount twice since the court had imposed fines in the exact amount after he had already refunded the repair cost in full.
Taha Guro Sarip was found guilty of one count each of graft and malversation of public funds by the Sandiganbayan First Division. He was sentenced to six to seven years for the first offense and one to three years and six months on the second case.
Based on the information filed in 2022, prosecutors accused him of using MSU funds to pay for the maintenance of his Toyota Innova, a personal vehicle, from April 2011 to November 2012 in the sum of P96,657.15.
The case stemmed from the findings of a special team of government auditors created on August 14, 2014 to look into allegations of irregularities in the MSU-Buug Campus. The team was led by State Auditor Katrina Acana with auditor Sofia Solon as member, together with a representative from the MSU-Buug Management.
In his defense, Sarip said that he used the Innova for official travels. He also said he relied on the assurance of his subordinates that the reimbursement of repair expenses is allowable and paid the entire P96.657.15 after the Commission on Audit issued an order of execution of the notice of disallowance.
The Sandiganbayan, however, swept aside his defense, noting that he failed to introduce any evidence of his official travels using his personal vehicle or that the same vehicle sustained damage from his official travels.
The court also noted that the accused did not present the testimonies of the Vice Chancellor for Finance, the university accountant, and the cashier who supposedly advised him that the reimbursement of repairs is allowable.
Regarding the full restitution, the anti-graft court noted that the COA Order of Execution was issued in August 2019 but Sarip did not comply with the directive to refund. On the other hand, the official receipt showed payment was made only on February 13, 2023, six months after the case was filed in court.
