Ex- barangay chief in Tuburan charged

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas has indicted a former barangay captain in Tuburan for alleged irregularities committed in the construction of a multi-purpose building project.

The anti-graft office found probable cause to charge former Poblacion I barangay captain Severo Evales for violation of the Republic Act 9184 otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act.

“It appears that respondent Evales, through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross negligence gave unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to the pre-selected winning bidders by providing directly or indirectly said bidders with copies of the program of works in the project,” Graft investigator Luanne Ivy Cabatingan said in her resolution recommending the filing of the case in court.

Cabatingan said the respondent restrained “competition” within the three bidders for the construction of the multi-purpose building.

The case stemmed from a fact-finding investigation conducted by the Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office (PACPO) of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Based on the investigation the barangay council passed a resolution requesting Evales to sell a portion of his lot for the project.

Tuburan Municipal Engineer Leo Montecillo prepared the program of works and bill of materials amounting to P450,000. Evales approved it. A separate program of works for lightning materials was prepared and approved by respondent with a total material cost of P22,789.50.

The bidding was conducted and the notice of award was issued to XLA General Merchandise being the lowest bidder.

Another program of works for construction materials was prepared and again approved by respondent with a total material cost of P147,651.60.

During the bidding, the notice of award was issued to DLJ General Merchandise having a lowest bid proposal. World Trade Enterprise got the contract for the supply of hollow blocks amounting to P15,455.

However, anti-graft investigators found out that the price submitted by the winning bidders was exactly the same price in the program of works.

According to the Ombudsman, this would indicate that the winning bidders were given copy of the program of works.

“This would establish that collusion exists between the procuring entity and the bidders/suppliers concerned,” the anti-graft office’s findings show.

Evales failed to submit his counter affidavit when asked to do so.  (FREEMAN)