Ombudsman throws out K-9 graft case vs Mercado

The Office of the Ombudsman has junked for lack of evidence a graft complaint against former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado and three other ranking defense officials in connection with the alleged overpricing of anti-terrorist K-9 dogs bought by the military.

Ombudsman Aniano Desierto approved the dismissal of the case as recommended by Deputy Ombudsman for the military Orlando Casimiro based on the result of an investigation conducted by a prosecution team led by Eugene Ricardo Parrone.

In dropping the case, the Ombudsman noted that there was "no expressed finding by the Commission on Audit that the transaction was illegal and irregular."

The resolution also stated that the justifications for entering into a negotiated contract were covered by exemptions provided for by Executive Order 301 issued in 1987.

Desierto also noted that the purported complainant, the Association of Civilian Employees in the Department of National Defense, has denied having any hand in filing the complaint.

Mercado welcomed the dismissing of the case, saying he knew all along that the charge was baseless and merely part of a "cheap political demolition job" unleashed against him at the height of the campaign for the May 14 elections.

"We were confident of vindication from the very start and the findings of the Ombudsman speak for itself," Mercado said in a statement.

Former Armed Forces chief now Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, in an affidavit, said the eight dogs bought by the military did not cost P2 million each because the transaction was a package deal that called for other things such as a training and breeding program, veterinary care and medicines, and an additional two female dogs provided for free by the supplier.

Reyes stressed that there was an urgent need for the procurement and deployment of trained dogs because of the escalating violent struggle of Muslim rebels in Mindanao and the spate of bombings in Metro Manila.

Former Defense Undersecretary Esteban Conejos has also said that apart from the initial batch of eight trained dogs, the contract with the supplier, identified as S.H. K-9 Warriors Academy, also covered a five-year breeding program intended to provide 75 more K-9 dogs for the military.

He said at present, there are now 102 such dogs in the military.

Aside from Mercado, also cleared by Desierto were Reyes, Conejos and former Defense Undersecretary Edgardo Batenga.