NYC commissioner in hot water for “forgery”

A Boholano commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NYC) is under fire following the filing of both administrative and criminal charges against him before the Ombudsman for alleged misrepresentation and forgery.
According to a reliable source, SK leader of Iloilo is taking the cudgels in filing appropriate charges against Commissioner Benjie Oliva, of Catigbian town, before the DILG and the Ombudsman.
SK Bohol led by federated president Jane Censoria Cajes is not taking the issue for granted as it also planned to formally file separate charges against Oliva, the source said, saying this is the only way to rectify what they perceived as corruption of the youth.
The case stemmed from Oliva’s alleged forging the signature of Sec. Ronaldo Puno of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). He allegedly used DILG’s memorandum with Puno’s (forged) signature in it for the conduct of the Integrated Sangguniang Kabataan Organizational Leadership and Reorientation-Basic Orientation Seminar (ISKOLAR-BOS), collecting PhP4,000 for each SK participant as registration fee.
The “forged” memorandum circular was practically addressed to SK officers in regions six, seven and eight, urging SK’s participation for the program. But unfortunately, SK Bohol, belonging to region 7, was “deliberately” excluded in the said memorandum, the source said.
According to the source, the alleged forged signature did not match with that of the original (memorandum) bearing the serial number of Puno’s signature.
The original memorandum circular (with No. 2007-03) dated January 8, 2007 bore the same number but dated January 11, 2007 with different addressee, the source said.
In a phone interview yesterday, Oliva did not confirm nor deny the allegation against him. He said Cajes and company are probably the ones who made this issue blown out of proportion “to discredit him.” He said he did not receive a complaint yet filed against him.
Oliva said he is set to talk this over this week with the SK Bohol represented by Cajes.
While he is contemplating to get reappointed to NYC, Oliva said he is securing clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation, Ombudsman, Sandigan Bayan and other credentials for his reappointment by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. His term in the NYC is due to expire yesterday after a three-year term of office.
He said he also got endorsements from Bohol Gov. Erico Aumentado, Congressmen Adam Jala and Edgar M. Chatto (3rd and 1st dist) but not from Congressman Roberto C. Cajes (2nd dist), father of Jane Censoria Cajes.
Implications of the issue of Oliva’s case may have, perhaps, far-reaching effects, the source said. For sure, Oliva’s obsession to be reappointed to the same position may be in jeopardy once the complaint is raised, the source said. (RVO)