Leonardia, 3 others face graft raps anew
BACOLOD CITY -- Sarah Teresa Esguerra and Othello Ramos who filed numerous complaints against Mayor Evelio Leonardia along with other city officials on the alleged dumpsite procurement anomaly have lodged another complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman.
This time, it has something to do with the detailed findings of the Commission on Audit in its Annual Audit Report for the year ending December 31, 2007 that has reference to the aggregate amount of P9,338,747.37 for the regular operation and planned activities projects of the City which were not bidded but procured thru Reimbursement which is violative under R.A 9184, particularly section 48.2 of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Complainants Esguerra and Ramos filed recently a criminal and administrative complaint against Leonardia, City Treasurer Annabelle Badajos, City Accountant Eduardo Ravena and Manage Audit Service Office in-charge Ricardo Dahil Dahil for gross violation of the Anti-Graft & Corrupt Practices Act (R.A. 3019, as amended) (e) thereof and for violation of the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Complainants noted that said public officials had concerted with each other by evident bad faith and resorted to practice the mode of reimbursement of various goods and not petty expenses involving expenditures of millions of pesos of public funds. They also cited various goods and services procured through reimbursement which did not pass the regular procurement and disbursement procedures.
This goods and services include Meals, Foods and Snacks for the sum total of P4,275,566.67, Advertisements - P1,243,405.60, Office, Communications Supplies & Materials, Furnitures & Fixtures - 836,168..13, Cell Cards - P700,361.75, Wreath/Flower Arrangement - 487,700, Spare Parts - 426,905, Purified/Mineral Water - 400,730, Repairs & Maintenance 371,665.32, Various Expenses for Masskara/Charter Celebration - 261, 988.32, IT Supplies & Materials 231,618 and Streamers, Banners, Flags and Tarpaulin - 102,638.25.
On the other hand, Acting City Legal Officer Atty. Vicente Petierre Jr. justifies that reimbursement process is allowed by law, if it is on emergency cases. Petierre cited the procurement of flowers for the dead that it is not possible to be subjected for public bidding since death cannot be certain by anybody. He said that what the rules cited is a recurring expenses or included in a budget projection for the whole year. Petierre said that as of this time, his office had not yet received the complaints filed by Esguerra and Ramos.