MANILA — Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones urged on Tuesday buyers of stolen computers owned by DepEd to surrender them immediately.
In a press briefing in Quezon City, Briones said those who participate in the selling and buying of government-owned properties will eventually be traced by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and would be held liable.
“Yung mga nakabili dahil naghahabol ng mababang presyo pwedeng i-surrender nila iyon. Mabuti pa i-surrender na ninyo, i-surrender nalang kung sino man iyong mga bumili ‘di naman natin masasabing inosente dahil may logo sa loob saka iyong kulay (Those who bought because of low price, you could surrender them. It is best that you surrender them, especially those who bought… we cannot say they are innocent because the computers have the logo and the color [of DepEd]),” she said.
Saying the computers are part of DepEd’s efforts to provide quality education in public schools, Briones reiterated that the equipment is for the use of learners, and not thieves.
“Ang PNP at DepEd hindi mag-iisip na ipataw ang karampatang parusa sa mga may partisipasyon dito ang pera na ipinambili sa mgacomputer na ito ay galing sa ating lahat, galing sa taxes ninyo (The PNP and DepEd won’t have second thoughts on punishing those who have participation in this the money used to buy these computers are from all of us, from your taxes),” she added.
On September 7, Salvacion Marco and Jelly Gabito were arrested for selling a blue DepEd laptop which they posted on Facebook for sale at PHP11,000 only.
Through investigation and verification, the police found out that the laptop was stolen last month from a teacher in Kalinga. DepEd said the original price of the laptop is almost PHP40,000. (Ma. Teresa Montemayor/PNA)
