Graft case filed vs Zambo Sur lawmaker over 2001 purchase

MANILA, Philippines - Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales yesterday ordered the filing of graft charges against former Zamboanga del Sur governor and now second district Rep. Aurora Cerilles before the Sandiganbayan for her alleged involvement in the irregular purchase of medical supplies in the province 11 years ago.

Four other former provincial government officials – Marina Tudio-Tampus, former provincial accountant; Estita Tago, former provincial budget officer; Malaya Ysmael, former general services officer; and Corazon Silla-Ariosa, former head of the Zamboanga del Sur Provincial Hospital – were also named respondents as members of the bids and awards committee.

Private individuals Rey Morgada and Neil Cruz, representatives of the private firm U-Net Distributors Corp. (U-Net) that bagged the contract, were also implicated.

The case stemmed from the findings of the Commission on Audit (COA) that in 2001, “various hospital supplies amounting to P6,879,225 were procured (by the provincial government) from exclusive distributors in violation of Section 105 of COA Circular No. 92-386.”

Such purchases, according to the rules, can only be made if “the Philippine distributor has no sub-dealers selling at lower prices, and no suitable substitutes of substantially the same quality are available at lower prices.”

The Ombudsman’s decision to file charges against Cerilles and the six other respondents cited COA’s findings that the items procured from U-Net were common that these do not require a brand name in order to purchase them from exclusive distributors.

Graft probers also ruled that had the procurement been made through public bidding, the provincial government could have saved more than P1,204,755 since there would be price competition among many prospective suppliers.

The medical supplies purchased included green scrub suits, flat sheets, drawsheets, and abdominal bandage.

The graft complaint against other respondents, namely Zenaida Galicinao, Filomena Pongon, Roseller Ariosa and Isaias Regis Jr., was dismissed for insufficient evidence.