THE Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the suspension of Tanjay City Mayor Lawrence Teves for nine months as he faces a graft charge over the anomalous repair of canals worth P280,876.34 in Negros Oriental.
In a statement on Monday, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said she found Teves guilty of Simple Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service for allowing small value procurement in the construction of the canals.
According to the investigation of the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman in the Visayas, Teves in 2011 procured construction materials worth P280,876.34 for the repair of canals in Barangays 5 and 6, through Small Value Procurement without coursing the project to the Bids and Awards Committee.
In disputing the allegation, Teves said “he approved the requisition believing that it will ultimately redound to the benefit of the city’s constituents.”
But Morales said Teves should have complied with the requirements under the Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act whether it be public bidding or small-value procurement.
Morales said “it is totally unacceptable that respondents, especially Teves, being the City Mayor, did not follow the law” and that “respondents are expected to know the law and implement it to the letter.”
Also indicted with graft were the following officials – Punong Barangay Denver Bokingkito, General Services Officer Bogard Colina and former Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President Mar Francis Saguran.
Morales also ordered the nine-month suspension of Bokingkito and Colina, as the Ombudsman warned respondents that “a repetition or commission of the same or similar offense would be dealt with more severely.”
Teves was accused of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibit public officials from causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.