Dismissal of Tesda chief proposed

The department of labour and employment has recommended the dismissal of Dante Liban, director-general of the Technical Education and Skills Development (Tesda), following persistent charges of graft and corruption against him.

"The government could no longer afford the bickering that Liban has imposed on the system," Labour Secretary Patricia Santo Tomas said in a confidential memo to President Gloria Arroyo.

Stressing the findings of a committee created by the Tesda executive board last month, Santo Tomas said the president should not tolerate any longer the controversies surrounding Liban's administration.

The findings said Liban had resorted to "irregular" use of agency funds and accreditation of testing venues that did not meet Tesda standards. She stressed, however, that it is difficult to connect Liban directly with specific instances of corruption.