Ex-Negros governor faces graft raps over 'irregular' purchase

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Rafael Coscolluela for his alleged purchase of overpriced medical and farm equipment when he was governor of Negros Occidental in 2001.

Also charged before the Sandiganbayan were former provincial health officer Ernesto Malyas, Special Projects Management Office head Edwin Nacionales, SPMO officer III Jose Ma. Amugod, and businessman Romeo Chan of Venmilyn Enterprises. 

Graft investigators recommended P30,000 bail each for their temporary liberty.

The case stemmed from the “irregular and illegal direct purchase” of medical and agricultural equipment, including anesthesia, worth P20 million from Venmilyn Enterprises in 2001.

Graft probers said there was no public bidding and that the contract was simply awarded to Venmilyn Enterprises.

In another development, Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia Jr. pleaded not guilty before the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division this week on charges that he entered into a P60-million contract allegedly disadvantageous to the government.

Garcia was conditionally arraigned just to allow the anti-graft court to have jurisdiction over him so it could hear and grant his motion to travel abroad.

Garcia, who is facing two counts of violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, is asking the anti-graft court to grant his request to travel to Tokyo, Japan where he was invited to attend an activity of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) on July 1-4.

The case against Garcia stemmed from a complaint by Oscar de los Reyes in May 2007 after the provincial government executed a compromise agreement that eight parcels of land of the province would be transferred and conveyed to the Baseco Drydock and Construction Co., resulting in 51 percent of the shares being owned by the province and the rest by Baseco.

Athough the court approved the deal, graft probers said Garcia should have taken all the necessary steps to protect the interest of the province.