PLM officials charged over van purchase

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (Photo from the official website of PLM at https://www.plm.edu.ph/univ-profile.html)

MANILA — State prosecutors have charged former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila president Benjamin Tayabas and 12 others over the purchase of a P1.11-million Hyundai Starex van without public bidding in 2006.

The officials were accused of one count of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly giving undue preference for Hyundai Quezon Avenue, Inc. in June 2006.

The alleged lack of public bidding violated the Government Procurement Reform Act and  denied the city-run university of the opportunity to obtain the most advantageous offer.

Former officials charged along with Tayabas were: college dean Domingo Nuñez, vice-president for finance and planning Angelita Solis, college vice-president Virginia Santos, acting university president Jose Roy III, budget officer Cecilia Calma, financial management officer Angeles Ramos, Office of the University Legal Counsel officer-in-charge Lawrence Villanueva, and bids and awards committee members Eloisa Macalinao, Alfredo Ferrer Jr., Felix Aspiras, Albert dela Cruz, and Justina Bontuyan.

Prosecutors recommended that bail be set at P30,000 for each accused.  SFM