Iloilo officials uncover P6.2 M cellphone scam
JUDY SYJUCO
Officials from Iloilo have uncovered an anomalous purchase and delivery of P 6.2 million worth of mobile phone units intended for the barangays.
Provincial Administrator Manuel Mejorada presented to the media yesterday official documents bearing the forged signatures of Mayor Isabelo Maquino of Sta. Barbara town allegedly acknowledging receipt of 1,582 units of Nokia 1100 intended to address the communication needs of the various barangays in the second district. The project was facilitated by 2nd District Representative Judy Syjuco.
Maquino has categorically denied receiving the units and signing an invoice receipt dated February 22, 2005.
"I have not received them," said Maquino during a radio interview yesterday morning, referring to the mobile phone units.
Maquino came to know of the forgery when he received a letter from the Commission on Audit requesting confirmation of the receipt of the delivery. Sta. Barbara municipal administrator Glenn Beup told The News Today that Maquino has already told the COA head office that he has not received the mobile phone units.
Lawyer Eduardo Jalbuna, Maquino's counsel, said over the radio that the forgery of his client's signature is so apparent that it can be seen at first glance.
They have already asked for the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the forgery.
Mejorada is accusing Iloilo 2nd District Representative Judy Syjuco and the Department of Transportation and Communications of having a hand in the anomaly.
"Either there was an outright ghost delivery (of the mobile phones) and that it was converted to cash, or the units were indeed delivered but that they are keeping it only to be delivered come election time," Mejorada said of the two possibilities.
"They intended to hide the purchase that's why they forged the signature (of Maquino)," he remarked.
The fact that the mobile phones were bought from a beverage distributor makes the transaction more anomalous, Mejorada added.
The district office of Syjuco in Sta. Barbara cannot be reached for comment.
According to the documents, the phones were procured from West Island Beverage Distributor, which is owned by a Domingo Samuel Jonathan Ng, on February 22, 2005. There was no bidding conducted, instead the DOTC resorted to the so-called 'alternative method of procurement,' commonly known as direct purchase from a sole distributor.
The documents further show that the DOTC realigned the P3 million intended for information technology equipment and software for municipal telecenters in Region 6 (Western Visayas) for the purchase of the communications equipment.
The remaining P3.2 million was sourced from realigned budget intended for the construction of airports and navigational facilities, and ports and lighthouses in various parts of the country.