Radaza hits critic, says computers not overpriced

DESPITE being in crutches, Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza was in fighting form as he accused a businessman critic of politicking in relation to charges of overpricing computer units during his tenure as mayor.

During the Christmas party held for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials at the Hoops Dome yesterday, Radaza reiterated that the computer units allocated for the city’s high schools were bought at 2005 market prices and weren’t overpriced.

“The Ombudsman might have compared it with a price years later after 2005. That is why the respondents or the members of the Bids and Awards Committee filed a motion for reconsideration,” said Radaza.

Businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr., who ran against Radaza’s wife Paz in last year’s elections, filed a complaint against Radaza and several city and education officials before the Ombudsman-Visayas over the P23.4-million purchase of computer units in 2007.

An inventory of two stores showed that the 470 computers bought for the city’s public high schools were sold at P24,700 and P31,236.

Lapu-Lapu City Hall bought the computers at P49,950 each.

The anti-graft office said the 470 computers should have cost P10.857 million instead of P23,476 million or a price difference of P12.6 million.

The Ombudsman Visayas found the respondents guilty of conduct grossly prejudicial to the interests of the service and ordered their suspension last July.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza said only three of the respondents had yet to serve their suspensions. Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza