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[av_heading heading=’Suspension of 9 Iloilo execs already served – capitol’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Wednesday, April 19, 2017
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MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman reaffirmed its July 18, 2016 order meting a three-month suspension on nine Iloilo provincial government officials for irregularities in the procurement of medicines and medical supplies way back in 2010.
The Ombudsman announced its decision on the motion for reconsideration filed by the respondents on its website yesterday.
According to the provincial government, however, the suspensions were already served by the officials last year even as they waited for the Ombudsman’s action on their motion.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr. was tasked by the Ombudsman to implement the suspension last year. In an interview, he said he was saddened by the decision “but there is nothing we can do. The law is hard but that is the law.”
The Ombudsman’s decision was immediately executory.
“I empathize with the suspended officials. I know they may have made a mistake but I know most of them, if not all of them, are honest officials. They may have committed a mistake in the implementation of the law and in the discharge of their duties,” Defensor said last year.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales found the following guilty of simple misconduct:
* Lyd Tupas (provincial accountant)
* Sandra Bionat (assistant provincial accountant)
* members of the Bids and Awards Committee: Atty. Edgar Sumido, Ramie Salcedo, Corazon Beloria, Romeo Andig, Glenda Losanta, Antonio Muralla, and Julius Tidon.
Morales said the investigations done by the Ombudsman found that 14 contracts for the procurement of various medicines and medical supplies worth P5,342,100 were awarded to a single supplier from January 2010 to May 2010.
“A closer look at the bidding documents showed that the respondents resorted to the alternative method of emergency procurement claiming that the province was severely hit by typhoon Frank in 2008,” said Morales.
But the Ombudsman noted that the respondents failed to present BAC resolutions to justify the alternative method of procurement. It also cited the time of the deal, which was two years after the storm in 2008.
“The Commission on Audit observed that the procurements were done from January to May 2010, or almost two years after the typhoon, which removed the situation from the ambit of an emergency,” Morales said.
“Even if the procurement could be considered emergency purchases, Morales said the absence of a BAC resolution recommending the alternative mode of procurement not only violated Section 12 of Republic Act 9184 (Government Procurement Reform Act) but also demonstrated the BAC’s blind adherence to the purchase requests without regard to its responsibility of ensuring that the procuring entity abides by the standards set forth by the Act and its implementing rules and regulations.
Simple misconduct is defined as an unacceptable behavior that transgresses the established rules of conduct of public officers./PN
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