Ex-police chief, 11 PNP officers face criminal raps in boat purchases

MANILA, Philippines - Criminal complaints have been filed with the Office of the Ombudsman against 21 individuals, including a former police chief and 11 other officers, in connection with the anomalous purchase of rubber boats and boat engines.

The respondents in the case filed by the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) include former Philippine National Police chief Jesus Verzosa.

Verzosa’s lawyer said the filing of the case “came as a complete surprise to us” and said no violation of the procurement law was committed.

“We were not summoned to appear for investigation unlike the earlier chopper case. We shall, however, have due process during preliminary investigation at the Ombudsman,” Verzosa said in a statement.

In filing the case, the CIDG said there was anomaly in the P131.5-million purchase in 2009 of 75 police rubber boats and 18 spare outboard motors intended for the PNP Maritime Group. 

CIDG chief Director Samuel Pagdilao said the complaints for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and Falsification by Public Officer were filed last Oct. 6.

Aside from Verzosa, other officers in the complaint were PNP deputy chief for administration Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino Jr., retired Deputy Director General Jefferson Soriano, Director Luizo Ticman, retired Director Romeo Hilomen, Director George Piano, Chief Superintendent Herold Ubalde, Chief Superintendent Luis Saligumba, Senior Superintendent Job Nolan Antonio, Superintendent Edgar Pataan, Superintendent Joel Garcia, Superintendent Ermiliando Villafuerte, Superintendent Roman Loreto, Superintendent Henry Duque, Chief Inspector Ronald Lee, and SPO3 Maria Linda Padojinog.

Facing the same charges were PNP civilian employees Ruben Gonggona and Marife Dungca.

Also charged as co-conspirators were suppliers Harold Ong of Enviro Aire, Senen Arabaca of Geneve SA Philippines and Alex Tayao of Bay Industrial Philippines.

Pagdilao said the filing of cases against the 21 respondents stemmed from a complaint by the Maritime Group, which noted defects and “functional incompatibility” in the delivered 75 Zodiac FC 470 Futura Commando rubber boats.

Pagdilao said defects were particularly noted in the 41 boats delivered by Geneve SA Philippines. He said the boats turned out to be incompatible with the 60-horsepower engines supplied by Enviro Aire. Pagdilao said that as result, the boats can be only be used with paddles.

Pagdilao said the PNP paid Geneve SA Philippines more than P45.2 million for the defective rubber boats.

Pagdilao said that the CIDG Special Investigation Team directed to investigate the questionable negotiated procurement of the boats and outboard motors found basis for filing complaints against the officials and civilians.

Pagdilao added that the suppliers had conspired with the police officials during the negotiation conference in dictating the pricing and the number of patrol boats and outboard motors and their accessories that each supplier would deliver.

Pagdilao said it was also apparently arranged that 24 patrol boats would be supplied by Enviro Aire, 10 by Bay Industries Philippines and 41 by the Geneve SA Philippines.

The respondents, he said, also committed conspiracy by changing the warranty period for the purchased equipment from three years to one year.