‘Fake’ teacher charged for estafa

Accused Lazaga poses as a public school teacher in Carcar in applying loan from lending firm

THE Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor has indicted a woman who posed as a public school teacher and allegedly took out a loan from a lending firm amounting to P130,000 in 2012.

Prosecutor Tranne Lee Digao-Ferrer found evidence to charge Ruby Lazaga with estafa before the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City.

“Respondent (Ruby) Lazaga misrepresented herself to be a public school teacher assigned at Kamanggahan Elementary School in Carcar City in order for her to avail (herself) of complainant’s exclusive teacher salary loan,” read Ferrer’s four-page resolution.

The case stemmed from the estafa complaint that Orient Asia Lending Inc. filed against Lazaga before the City Prosecutor’s Office.

Lazaga allegedly posed as a teacher at the Kamanggahan Elementary School in Carcar City and applied for a teacher’s loan amounting to P130, 000 in September 2012.

She submitted the required documents, such as the Department of Education (DepEd) identification (ID) card, DepEd certification stating that she is a permanent public school teacher, a Government Service Insurance System ID card and pay slips, which all later turned out to be fake.

When Lazaga failed to pay her dues, the lending firm’s representatives verified the authenticity of her credentials from DepEd.

The complainant learned from DepEd Carcar City Division that Lazaga is not actually a public school teacher.

Lazaga admitted that she is not a teacher and she promised to pay her obligation. However, she failed to settle her dues, which reached P197,000 in penalties and surcharges.

Replying to the charges, Lazaga said that it was actually Glicerio Gelborion, the lending firm’s representative, who offered her to apply for a loan.

Lazaga said that Gelborion knew she is a mere “house maker” and not a teacher. She said Gelborion was even the one who prepared the required documents for her.

She said that she agreed and signed the loan application form stating that her profession is a teacher upon Gelborion’s instruction.

She denied the allegations that she misrepresented herself as a principal of Karaatan Elementary School in Car- car City.

In the resolution, Prosecutor Ferrer said that Lazaga’s defense was mere denial.

“Respondent cannot feign ignorance that she did not know that she has committed an offense when she placed the information in her loan application that she is a teacher even if she knows she is not,” said Ferrer.