Ex-Leyte town mayor faces graft raps over dump truck deal

Former mayor Federico Carolino Sr. of Capoocan municipality in Leyte is set to face graft charges for the anomalous procurement of two Mitsubishi dump trucks in 2008.

In a statement on Friday, the Office of the Ombudsman said it found probable cause to file graft charges for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Carolino, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Pio Antonio Borrel, Macario Noel Gullemas, Letecia Merelos, Frumencio Juntilla and Jesalie Loteyro, and Compressed Air Machineries & Equipment Corporation (CAMEC) representatives Manuel Poblico and Jovelito Monesit.

The graft charges stemmed from the allegation that Carolino and the BAC members gave unwarranted benefit, preference and advantage to CAMEC in connection with the procurement of two Mitsubishi dump trucks in 2008.

According to the Ombudsman resolution, CAMEC as the winning bidder delivered two dump trucks to the municipality in December 2008.

The Ombudsman’s investigation showed lapses in the bidding process. For instance, Carolino and the BAC proceeded with the contract despite inconsistencies in the business name of CAMEC.

The Ombudsman also exposed other irregularities, such as reference to a specific brand name, non-compliance with technical specifications, and failure to declare the approved budget for the contract.

“With the numerous violations committed in the matter of procurement of the two dump trucks, [t]here was clearly manifest partiality and evident bad faith that attended the collective actions of respondents Carolino and BAC members when they performed their respective roles in said procurement,” the Ombudsman said in its resolution.

The anti-graft law under Section 3(e) sanctions a public officer or employee who, in the performance of his or her official duties, acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith or inexcusable negligence, causing undue injury to any party, including the government, or has given any party unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference. IDL/rga

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