ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd)-6 will file administrative charges against persons involved in the alleged cheating during the 2010 National Achievement Tests (NAT) in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo.

“Once strong evidence is found, charges will be filed,” said DepEd 6 regional director Mildred Garay after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI 6) released results confirming a pattern of cheating during the examinations.

Garay said they also noticed a pattern of cheating in their own preliminary investigation.

The cheating allegations went public last February this year through the exposé of Dr. Gracia Malazarte, former principal of the Lico-an Elementary School.

Malazarte divulged that more than 20 schools in Barotac Nuevo were part of the alleged massive cheating scheme. She claimed it was through the alleged cheating that the DepEd-Division of Iloilo topped the NAT for 3rd and 6th grade students in Western Visayas. Iloilo ranked third in the national level.

Garay is also waiting for NBI-6 to furnish her a copy of the investigation as it will be integrated in DepEd-6’s probe, which is expected to come out by the end of the month.

“If we only find a pattern, we cannot identify who perpetuated this,” Garay explained.