Vice mayor charged in eyeglasses deal

The Vice Mayor of Makilala town, Cotabato province, and five other local  officials are facing criminal charges in the Sandiganbayan for the alleged anomalous purchase of eyeglasses worth P100,000 in 2013.

The Office of the Ombudsman on Thursday recommended the indictment of Vice Mayor Ricky Cua and the others for presenting spurious documents to refund the money Cua used in buying 314 reading glasses.

“To facilitate the reimbursement, he (Cua) falsified the cash invoice provided by the supplier and the abstract of canvass,” the Ombudsman said in a statement.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said it was the vice mayor himself who bought the items and “prepared and processed the supporting documents” for the reimbursement.

“Respondent Cua made use of the invoice in successfully obtaining the supposed reimbursement of P99,000.00 in his favor, without which the refund would not have prospered,” Morales said in her ruling.

Charged along with Cua were Roel Caoagdan, Mario Ranis, Edwin Arellano, Pio Abonado Jr. and Giovanni Ignacio, all members of the municipal bids and awards committee (BAC).

“The BAC members were found to have falsified [canvass documents] to simulate the procurement, making it appear that the supplier submitted the most advantageous price,” the Ombudsman said.

“These documents were used to support Cua’s request for reimbursement.”

The antigraft body said the vice mayor broke the law when he “unduly influenced and exerted unwarranted pressure on the BAC members to [pick the] supplier.”

Aside from two counts of falsification of public documents, they were also charged with violating the Government Procurement Reform Act and the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.

Citing the law, the Ombudsman said government officials “shall not, directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction requiring the approval of their office.”