BI chief faces more raps over biometrics project

MANILA, Philippines - A second graft complaint was filed against Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Ricardo David Tuesday in connection with the alleged anomalies in a P50-million biometric system project.

David, who is under the supervision of the Department of Justice (DOJ), was charged before the Office of the Ombudsman with violating Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), RA 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), RA 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) and Executive Order 292 (Administrative Code) for pursuing a project that is allegedly disadvantageous to the government.

Advocacy group Anti-Trapo Movement of the Philippines Inc., represented by founding chairperson Leon Peralta, also named in its complaint David’s head executive assistant, Grace Lara; Dino Vizconde, acting chief of BI’s information and communications technology division; and members of the bids and awards committee.

Peralta alleged that the project would waste government funds because the P50 million allotted to it would produce only a daily time record type of biometrics when the BI needs a border control and management system comparable to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, acquired by the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police for nearly P1 billion.

Peralta’s complaint is the second graft case filed against David within two months.

The advocacy group PRO-PIA (Philippine Immigration Advocates), composed mainly of BI employees and some private entities, alleged that the project was haphazardly offered without a thorough technical study and evaluation.