BY EUGENE Y. ADIONG
BACOLOD City – The mayor of Valladolid, Negros Occidental and several aides face graft charges filed by a local broadcaster.
Aside from Mayor Rommel Yogore, the other respondents were Municipal Agriculturist and chairman of the Bids and Awards Committee Giovanni Robles, Municipal Engineer and BAC vice chair Joseph Alfonso Manayon, and BAC members Ernesto Genobis (municipal registrar), Daisy Galve, Merlene Magbanua and supplier Jonie Nieve.
The anti-graft body, however, dismissed the graft charges against Municipal Accountant Cherryl Aguirre, Municipal Treasurer Lilian Espanola and executive assistant and inspector Arnaldo Virgo, documents Panay News obtained showed.
The complainant was Larry Concepcion, local broadcaster.
He questioned the project “Repair and Improvement of Rural Health Unit of Valladolid” funded with a P250,000 grant from the Department of Health.
According to Concepcion, it was “implemented without the benefit of a public bidding.”
On December 16, 2008, Dr. Nelson George de la Cruz, rural health physician, requested for the immediate implementation of the project. The BAC resolved to procure the materials under the alternative method of procurement – shopping, Concepcion claimed.
Two days later, JB Nieve Hardware and Construction Supply owned by private respondent delivered the materials. These were accepted by Virgo and Manayon.
The following day, December 19, quotations were sent to three suppliers. BAC awarded the contract to Nieve’s company.
Concepcion claimed these all happened on the same day.
On December 8, 2009, a purchase order was issued to the supplier and the next day, the municipal government paid him.
“The delivery, inspection and acceptance of materials for the said projects were done even before the three quotations were obtained and prior to the award of the contract and subsequent issuance of the PO (purchase order),” the Ombudsman noted.
“The subject procurement was undertaken without an Annual Procurement Plan…what was even more questionable…was that JB Nieve Hardware and Construction Supply is owned and operated by Jonie Nieve, husband of respondent the mayor’s sister and Maritess Yogore…With no competitive public bidding conducted…unwarranted benefits and advantages were given to JB Nieve Hardware and Construction Supply,” the Ombudsman added.
For failing to conduct public bidding, there was “manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence,” on the part of the mayor, the BAC and the supplier, the Ombudsman stressed.
Yogore yesterday decline to comment. He said he still has to see the Ombudsman resolution.
Lawyer Refrando Diaz, the mayor’s counsel, said they will file a motion for reconsideration with the Ombudsman next week.
“The mayor only relied upon the recommendation of the BAC on what mode of procurement will be used,” Diaz told Panay News./PN
