Customs police sacked for faking civil service eligibility

MANILA, Philippines – A Bureau of Customs (BOC) police officer was dismissed after he was found to have faked his career service eligibility.

In a May 27 decision made public on Thursday, June 4, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) found Major Ramon Policarpio of BOC’s Enforcement and Security Service “guilty of 5 counts of serious dishonesty.”

The CSC found out that another person took Policarpio’s career service professional examination in 1988.

In its decision, CSC claims that Policarpio obtained his Certificate of Eligibility through “impersonation” and committed “fraud” by falsifying his government service eligibility records.

He took the examination on July 31, 1988, at the Araullo High School in Manila, and obtained a passing grade of 73.2%, making him qualified to pursue government service.

But upon further inspection of his exam records, the CSC found that the affixed picture and signature didn’t match those found in Policarpio’s other records.

“In intentionally and consciously misrepresenting himself to be a Career Service Professional Exam passer and by allowing another to take the exam and benefit from a passing mark which he does not deserve, Policarpio displayed a design to defraud in seeking an unconscionable advantage,” the CSC said. 

Policarpio explained that the discrepancy in his photo and signature was due to the fact that he “suffered a mild stroke, which affected his facial features and handwriting.”

CSC, however, said Policarpio failed to counter the evidence presented to the commission.

Along with his removal in office, Policarpio is also stripped of his retirement benefits. He is also disqualified from working in government. – Rappler.com