AFP Medical Center chief ordered relieved over procurement irregularity

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine Military on Tuesday sacked the chief of its medical center after his alleged involvement in a procurement anomaly.

General Gregorio Pio Catapang, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff, relieved AFP Medical Center commander Brigadier General Normando Sta. Ana, regarding the anomaly in the purchase of medicines worth P80 million without going through the bidding process.

“General Catapang ordered the relief of Brigadier General Sta. Ana from his post to give way to the investigation,” AFP public affairs chief Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc said.

Sta. Ana, however, is still presumed by the AFP as innocent until he is proven guilty, Cabunoc insisted.

“Let us presume that he is still innocent, in accordance with our Constitution because our officials are being judged even before the conclusion of the investigation.”

A certain Renato Villafuerte filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman against Sta. Ana, Lieutenant Colonel Ritchi Capulong, Special Disbursing Officer, Major Neil Bugarin, Chief of Management and Fiscal Office, and Colonel Rogelio del Rosario, Acting Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics.

Colonel Benedicto Jovellanos, the deputy chief of the AFPMC, would temporarily replace Sta. Ana as the head of AFPMC on a concurrent capacity.

According to Villafuerte’s complaint, the quartet requested the realignment of funds worth P40-million in support of Capulong’s cash advance to pay for the debt accumulated through the procurement of medicine and medical equipment on account but without funds.

Cabunoc said that the investigation was ordered on September 5 after the AFP received an unsigned letter regarding the AFPMC anomaly. With a report from Nestor Corrales

RELATED STORY

AFP to probe AFPMC procurement irregularity

Originally posted: 10:29 am | Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

View comments

TAGS: AFP, Military, News, relief, suspension