Biliran officials, COA auditor sued in P8-M medicine purchase
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered criminal charges filed against 10 officials of Maripipi town in Biliran over the alleged anomalous procurement of medicines worth more than P7.9 million in 2010.
Charged were former Mayor Noel Albelda, bids and awards committee (BAC) members Wilma Elairon, Marietta Campollo, Amelia Bacolod, Sonia Alavera, Julio Cairo Jr., Sergio Mejarito, and Tito Cairo, municipal accountant Michelle Quinte, and municipal health officer Mary Grace Llever.
Also included in the charge sheet were Commission on Audit (COA) state auditor Genelito Balila, and Jerome Capuyan and Cherel Serato, representatives from pharmaceutical supplier Suremeds Marketing.
The Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal of the officials, the forfeiture of their retirement benefits and their permanent disqualification from public office.
Ombudsman records showed that in June 2010, the municipality purchased medicines using the allotment from the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) of Biliran Rep. Glenn Chong.
The project was awarded to Suremeds despite substantial lapses in the procurement process including irregularity in the dates appearing in the bidding documents.
The Ombudsman also questioned the holding of a pre-bid conference before bidding documents were issued, the sudden change in the date of the opening of bids without any bid bulletins issued, and the award of the project to Suremeds despite its failure to submit a performance security.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales noted that “the circumstances present the disturbing picture that not only did public respondents ignore the discrepancies in the bidding documents submitted by Suremeds, but that information regarding the procurement that was to take place from May to June 2010 was already made known to Suremeds as early as March 2010.”
COA auditor Balila “stands charged for not having noticed or minded at all, the numerous discrepancies and irregularities attending the subject procurement despite having pre-audited the documents, and allowing the payment to be disbursed,” the Ombudsman said.