Hold-departure order issued vs 28 Silay execs

Bacolod City — The Sandiganbayan has issued a hold-departure order against 28 persons, including top government officials of Silay City, in connection with the graft case involving the P18-million computerization project filed against them.

The hold-departure order named Silay Mayor Jose Montelibano, Vice Mayor Mark Andrew Arthur Golez, Councilor Jose Raymundo Locsin, former councilors Michael Maravilla, Mario Torres, Ramon Jison, Warlito Go, Salvador Segovia, Joedith Gallego and April Grace de los Reyes, City Administrator Ignacio Salmingo, OIC City Treasurer Elsie Jimenea, OIC City Accountant Emmanuel Arsenal and Bids and Award Committee (BAC) chairperson Kara Aimee Quevenco.

The order also included 13 BAC members and staff as well as Julieta Cunanan, president of Systems and Plan Integrator and Development Corp. (SPIDC) of Cainta, Rizal.

The order penned by Sandiganbayan Second Division chairperson Teresita Diaz-Baldos and Associate Justices Napoleon Inoturan and Oscar Herrera Jr. said the hold-departure was necessary to preserve and maintain the effectiveness of their jurisdiction over the case and the accused.

The Ombudsman, in the information filed before the Sandiganbayan, said that on or about Jan. 24, 2008, Montelibano and the 27 others unlawfully caused the awarding of the information and communication and technology project of Silay City worth P18 million to the SPIDC, despite the absence of competitive public bidding and compliance with the legal requirements under Republic Act 9184, or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The Ombudsman noted that the respondents immediately resorted to direct contracting mode of procurement even if the computerization service was not of proprietary nature as there were other companies in the market offering similar services.

The procurement process was started even before the approved budget for the contract was made, giving unwarranted benefits, advantage, and preference to SPIDC, the Ombudsman added.

Last month, the Ombudsman imposed an eight-month suspension on 17 of the Silay officials and employees in connection with administrative charges also involving the P18-million computerization project.

Montelibano and his co-accused have maintained that they had not committed any wrongdoing and would prove it in the course of the hearing of the case. /INQUIRER