Former Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echiverri. (Photo from his Facebook page)
Former Caloocan Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri was charged with graft again – this time for awarding the contract for a barangay road concreting project without prior authorization of the Sanggunian Panlungsod in 2012.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor filed one count of graft for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Echiverri, city accountant Edna Centeno, and city budget officer Jesusa Garcia.
According to the charge sheet, the respondents acted with manifest partiality, evident bad faith and gross inexcusable negligence when they gave unwarranted benefit to Tuchar Construction in the P3.608 million contract for the concreting of roads in Barangay 187, Caloocan city.
The prosecution said the respondents caused undue injury to government when Echiverri failed to seek prior authority of the Sanggunian Palungsod before the award of the contract and disbursement of funds for the road concreting project.
The prosecution recommended a bail amount of P30,000 for one count.
Echiverri already faces a graft trial before the Sandiganbayan Third Division over the anomalous P1.962 million drainage project also without prior authorization of the Sanggunian Panlungsod.
The anomalous projects was for the improvement of the drainage system in Saplungan Street in Barangay 179, Amparo subdivision in Caloocan city without the Sanggunian’s authorization, to the damage and prejudice of the government, prosecutors said.
READ: Echiverri to face graft trial over P1.96M drainage project
Echiverri faces a separate graft case before the Sandiganbayan Second Division over the allegedly anomalous P2.751 million contract for the improvement of Molave St. drainage system to E.V. & E. Construction also without the Sanggunian’s authorization.
Echiverri was a former Caloocan representative who lost his bid for mayor in the 2016 elections to Oscar Malapitan. /atm
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