Ombudsman OKs graft raps vs Echiverri, 2 aides

Former Caloocan City mayor and outgoing Rep. Enrico Echiverri

Former Caloocan City mayor and outgoing Rep. Enrico Echiverri has been indicted for graft over irregularities in the awarding of a P2.97-million contract for a 2011 drainage project in his city.

In a news release, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Wednesday said there was probable cause to charge Echiverri with violations of Section 3 of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Echiverri is an outgoing congressman who lost the Caloocan mayoral race in the May 9 elections.

Former city accountant Edna Centeno and city budget officer Jesusa Garcia were also slapped with graft charges and an additional charge for falsification of public documents.

In 2011, the city undertook the improvement of the drainage system on Molave Street in Pleasant View subdivision and awarded the project to EV & E Construction (EVEC) at a contract cost of P2.97 million, the antigraft body said.

The Commission on Audit (COA) reported several irregularities in the project, such as the lack of a specific appropriation ordinance and approval by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP).  In October 2013, the COA issued a notice of disallowance.

“Without authority from the SP, Echiverri entered into a contract with EVEC, which constituted an unwarranted benefit and privilege granted to a private party,” Morales said.

In the related administrative case, Centeno and Garcia were found guilty of grave misconduct and perpetually disqualified from holding public office.

Grave misconduct carries the penalty of dismissal from the service. In case the penalty cannot be imposed due to separation from the service,  it is convertible to a fine equivalent to the respondent’s one-year salary.