BFAR chief, 2 others face P2 billion graft case

MANILA, Philippines — Graft charges have been filed before the Office of the Ombudsman against the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director and two other BFAR officials over the allegedly anomalous awarding of a P2-billion contract for Vessel Monitoring System (VMS).

Named respondents were BFAR chief Eduardo Gongona as well as Demosthenes Escoto and Hansel Didulo, who chaired the Bids and Awards Committee of BFAR.

In his complaint, lawyer James Mier Victoriano alleged that the respondents conspired with the officials of SRT Marine Systems Solutions Ltd. to supply VMS transceivers, a vital component needed to implement the Integrated Marine Environment Monitoring System Project II.

The project aims to improve the BFAR’s mandate of safeguarding and monitoring the country’s maritime resources.

Based on the complaint, the BFAR officials violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and the Government Procurement Reform Law.

Also named respondents were British nationals Simon Tucker and Richard Hurd, chief executive officer and chief financial officer, respectively, of SRT Marine Systems Solutions Ltd.

The company won the bid to supply 5,000 VMS transceivers in the amount of P2,096,989,000.

Victoriano said the BFAR officials violated the provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 and the Anti-Graft Law, which caused “undue injury to the government and gave unwarranted benefits” to SRT.

The complainant said the respondents gave “preference to SRT in awarding the project and entering into a transaction that was grossly disadvantageous to the government.”

The company was not qualified to participate in the bidding of the IMEMS or International Marine Environmental Modeling Seminar project, according to Victoriano.

The complainant also sought the suspension of Didulo and Escoto pending the investigation of the ombudsman.