Ombudsman orders graft raps vs incumbent Cebu lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines—The Office of the Ombudsman has approved the filing of graft charges against incumbent Lapu-Lapu Representative Arturo Radaza and 19 others for the purchase of allegedly overpriced, inferior personal computers worth P23.5 million six years ago.

It said Radaza, who was Lapu-Lapu mayor when the computers were bought, conspired with public officials and the supplier to buy the computers for public and private schools at prices too high in 2005.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales approved the charge sheet against Radaza, city schools superintendent Serena Uy, former bids and awards committee (BAC) chair Vincent Joseph Lim, current BAC chair Teodulo Ybañez, BAC vice-chairman Fernando Tagaan Jr. and BAC members Michael Dignos, Victoria Andoy, and Elena Pacaldo.

Also impleaded in the case were: technical working group (TWG) head Rogelio Veloso; TWG members Cipirano Flores, Sharon Baguio, Buenaventura Igot, Jerico Mercado and Maribeth Sorono; administrative aide Marita Guiao of the procurement section; inspection committee members Cleofe Solis, Leandro Dante, Ernesto Imbong, and Rogaciano Tampus; Kein Enterprises Manager; and owner Jennet Valencia.

The charges would be filed with the Sandiganbayan with the recommended bail of P30,000 each.

In a statement, the Office of the Ombudsman said the case stemmed from the complaint filed by Coralpoint Educational Foundation, Inc., which alleged that the price paid by the government for the 470 computers for national and public high schools was too high.

It said Radaza approved the request of the Department of Education’s Lapu Lapu Division to buy the computers. Kein Enterprises got the contract to supply the computers at P49,950 per unit.

But the Ombudsman in the Visayas found something amiss in the purchase. It said the items that Kein Enterprises delivered were inferior, thus violating the specifications in the purchase order.

It also found that the market price for computers with the same specifications was only P23,100 per unit. The 470 computers should have cost P10.857 million instead of P23.476 million, a price difference of P12.619 million.

It said the P26,850 disparity between the price paid by Lapu Lapu City and the market price, which is a 116-percent markup, was far-beyond the 10-percent difference allowed under the Commission on Audit’s rules.

“It is clear that respondents acted with manifest partiality for Kein Enterprises and with evident bad faith against the government,” it said.

Radaza belongs to the Lakas-Kampi political party and is a member of the minority in the House of Representatives.