MANILA, Philippines — The Senate Blue Ribbon committee has recommended administrative and criminal charges against former senior officials of the Department of Education and the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management over the purchase of laptops that the panel found to be overpriced by at least P979 million.
Among the former officials who the panel recommended to be slapped with charges are former Education Undersecretary Alain del Pascua and former PS-DBM officer-in-charge Executive Director Lloyd Christopher Lao.
The committee said Del Pascua and Lao should be charged for violating Sections 3(e) and 3(g) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Other officials that the panel wants to be charged for violations of the anti-graft law are:
- Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla
- Former Education Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III
- DepEd Director Abran Abanil
- DepEd former Executive Assistant Alec Ladanga
- Former PS-DBM officer-in-charge Executive Director Jasonmer Uayan
- PS-DBM Bids and Awards Committee chairperson Ulysses Mora
- Engr. Marwan Amil of the PS-DBM
- Other members of the Special Bids and Awards Committee I and SBAC technical working group and secretariat, whether from DepEd or DBM
The panel also wants to charge Sevilla and Ladanga for falsification of public document by a public official. Sevilla, Del Pascua, Malana, Lao and Uayan were also recommended to be charged for multiple counts of perjury.
All officials mentioned were also recommended to be subjected to administrative and disciplinary investigations for multiple counts of grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
The panel also recommended that the Commission on Audit issue notices of disallowance for the overpriced laptops against Sevilla, Del Pascua and Malana.
Civil complaints are also recommended to be initiated against Sevilla, Del Pascua Malana, Lao, Uayan and other DepEd and PS-DBM officials involved in the procurement of the laptops to collect and recover the excess amount, including interest and damages.
The Senate Blue Ribbon committee absolved former Education Secretary Leonor Briones as panel chairperson Francis Tolentino said she was just “used.”
“[Undersecraty Pascua] cleverly disguised the reduced number of units by breaking the number down in lots without providing a total, and stated the aggregate estimated cost, without specifying the increased unit cost,” the report read.
It added, “In the mind of the committee, this was clearly a ploy to downplay the adjustments which would have alerted Secretary Briones to direct a full review of the supporting documents, seek further advice, and/or withhold approval.”
Aside from charges, the Senate panel also recommended that the P979 million that should be recovered be placed in a special National Teachers Trust Fund to support the health and medical needs of public school teachers and the educational needs of their children.
The committee also wants the PS-DBM to be abolished and for amendments to be made to the anti-graft law.