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[av_heading heading=’Syjuco charged with graft over P5-M agri project ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – The Office of the Ombudsman accused former Iloilo 2nd District congressman Augusto Syjuco Jr. of graft before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the P5 million for the Ginintuang Masaganang Ani program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) for Alimodian, Iloilo in 2004.
Charged with Syjuco were former Alimodian vice mayor Ramon Anino and municipal councilors Ireneo Mondero, Emmanuel Adricula, Aquiles Cabaluna Jr., Miguel Ambong, Geefre Alonsabe, Job Almacen, and municipal agriculturist Roberto Alcudia.
The Ombudsman named as private respondents the officers of non-government organization (NGO) Tawo Kag Duta sa Kauswagan Cooperative that was tapped to implement the program that involved the procurement of farm inputs and equipment. They were executive director Timoteo Tomas Salvilla and representatives Edgardo Comoda and Corazon Taladua.
The Ombudsman questioned the May 12, 2004 Alimodian Sangguniang Bayan resolution allowing then mayor Bernardo Ambut to enter into an agreement with Tawo Kag Duta sa Kauswagan Cooperative for the purchase of farm inputs and equipment.
The move, according to the Ombudsman, violated the agreement with DA designating the local government as implementing agency for the project and deviated from the Commission on Audit requirement that all NGOs must be accredited by the agency before it can enter into any agreement with the government.
“Prosecutors found the municipality’s transfer of its functions to the cooperative to have violated the Government Procurement Reform Act to the detriment of public interest,” according to the Ombudsman.
While Syjuco’s participation was not specifically detailed in the case information, the Ombudsman accused him of conspiring with the other respondents “to willfully, unlawfully and criminally give unwarranted benefits to the cooperative.”
The Ombudsman set the bail at P30, 000 for each respondents. The case was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan’s First Division.
Syjuco and the other respondents could not be reached for comment as of this writing./PN
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