SK national president faces graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - The national president of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Federation is facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman.

Jane Censoria Cajes, ex-officio commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NYC), is accused of engaging in multimillion-peso procurement of goods and services without any public bidding in violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The complainants, who like Cajes are from Bohol, also alleged that the youth leader underwent numerous beauty treatments to enhance her looks using the public fund.

Cajes, 21, in an interview over GMA7 denied the allegations describing these as “below the belt.”

She said she was still single and so had her own money for whatever personal ends and that she planned to file a counter-suit against her accusers.

In their complaint, Manuel Ferdinand de Erio and Leo Udtohan, both of Tagbilaran City, Bohol, said in 2008, Cajes allegedly entered into a contract with suppliers of bags, t-shirts, services and accommodations for the SK National Congress in Cebu City without the required bidding.

In 2009, Cajes again ignored bidding requirements for the supply of bags, t-shirts, tarpaulins, accommodations, catering and event management contract with Indios Bravos for the SK National Congress held in Subic Bay, the complaint added.

De Erio and Udtohan said the same thing happened in 2010 for the SK National Congress in Bohol, where Cajes allegedly negotiated with suppliers of bags, t-shirts, tarpaulins and other services without bidding.

“In the SK National Convention held in Bohol and the SK National Convention held in Boracay, Jane Censoria D. Cajes still failed to follow the proper process of procurement pursuant to Republic Act No. 9184,” the complaint added.

De Erio and Udtohan said during the launching of the Sama-Sama Para sa Kalikasan: Proyekto ng Sangguniang Kabataan in Bohol on April 1, 2009, some 3,000 youth council officials from the different towns of Bohol were given t-shirts, as well as breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks.

“The tarpaulins printed for the event amounted to around P150,000,” read the complaint.

“Of these tarpaulins, only few were used during the event because the design was erroneous as the face of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was inverted, therefore they were not allowed to be posted.

“Respondent Jane Cajes had to reorder another batch of tarpaulins with the corrected layout and these were posted along the major thoroughfare of Tagbilaran City.”

De Erio and Udtohan said Cajes must be investigated for lack of transparency in the finances of the SK National Federation because of failure to render financial statements from the day she assumed her post to the present.

Cajes also failed to present a financial statement on the P10-million fund for the environmental project Sama-sama para sa Kalikasan: Proyekto ng Sangguniang Kabataan as well as that for the purchase of seedlings also worth P10 million, they added.

De Erio and Udtohan said Cajes overspent on newspaper advertisements by P1 million from 2009 to the present; overspent on tarpaulin printing expenses in the estimated amount of also P1 million from 2008 to present; and repeatedly executed false statements regarding the existence of financial statements.

“Respondent Cajes has been deliberately spending cash for purchase of high-end SLR cameras, expensive dogs, expensive designer bags, expensive branded clothes, expensive cosmetics, expensive accessories and designer jewelries (sic),” they said.

“Her favorite past-time (sic) is shopping. She even underwent beauty enhancement procedures at the Belo Medical Group. The surgical procedures that she availed of were Nose Reshaping (Rhinoplasty) and Chin and Cheek Implants.

“She also regularly avails herself of the Belo Signature Facials. While we admit that these vanities are purely personal, it is a fact that they are also very expensive.

“We are praying to the Honorable Ombudsman that this complaint be acted upon as soon as possible. We believe on the statement of the Philippine Public Transparency Reporting Project that ‘Every centavo lost to corruption is a centavo stolen from education, poverty reduction, social services and job creation... Corruption kills hope, chance and all opportunity. So it is up to each of us to take responsibility and start building the kind of future we all dream of’.”

De Erio and Udtohan said they are seeking an immediate investigation leading to the filing of appropriate criminal and administrative charges against respondent Cajes.