A former principal of a public high school was arrested by authorities yesterday morning in SM City, Ecoland for allegedly collecting fees from students and parents.

SPO2 Nilo Agunia, subpoena and warrant officer and other police of San Pedro Police Precinct, served the alias warrant of arrest against Deody Salvosa, 60, residing in Wellspring Village, Catalunan Pequeño for violation of Sec. 3 of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Another suspect, Hector Orias, was also charged with the same crime.

The arrest warrant was issued by Regional Trial Branch 11 Judge Virginia Europa on Oct.7, 2011 after Salvosa failed to show up in the court for his trial starting in 2004.

Salvosa was the former principal of Mabini National High School from 1987 up to 2002.  He was dismissed because of the case he is facing and became a part-time instructor of a university.

“I left and went into hiding because I was scared,” he told the TIMES.

He also said that he just defer the hearing for bail and go directly to jail because “I have no money and I’m more safe in jail.”

The suspect was charged for collecting payments from seven students purportedly as a Red Cross fee.

But he claimed that the teachers filed the case against him out of spite and vengeance, using very old documents.  Salvosa is now detained in San Pedro Police Precinct.