Ex-agri chief barred from gov’t service
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the perpetual disqualification from government service of former agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala over the alleged anomalous construction of a P13.5-million corn processing center and purchase of irrigation pumps worth P29 million.
In two separate decisions signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Alcala was found guilty of grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.
Also ordered dismissed were then-Bureau of Soils and Water Management director Silvino Tejada, inspection committee chairman Uldarico Andal, procurement unit head Sonia Salguero and Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) members Rodelio Carating, Diosdado Manalus and Ernesto Brampio.
Aside from being perpetually barred from government service, Alcala was also meted with the penalty of dismissal.
But since he is no longer in office, the ombudsman clarified that the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to his salary for one year.
Based on the ombudsman’s investigation, Alcala as then DA secretary entered into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with a certain Bautista Ella, president of Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc.
The MOA was for the construction of the Quezon Corn Trading and Processing Center in a private lot owned by Ella to be financed by the DA.
The ombudsman said transfer of the DA funds amounting P13.5 million to Ella’s foundation was “contrary to the basic principle that public funds shall be used solely for a public purpose.”
The ombudsman said field investigators also found out that a certain Laureano Arnulfo Mañalac, one of the incorporators of Isa Akong Magsasaka Foundation Inc., was in fact Alcala’s head executive assistant (HEA) and Ella’s father-in-law.
The ombudsman said Mañalac was also the program director of the DA’s Agri-Pinoy Trading Center-Project Management Office (APTC-PMO).
“Since Mañalac was an incorporator of the foundation and given his functions as program director of the APTC program, the foundation would have been automatically disqualified from being granted any public funds from the program,” the ombudsman said in its decision. The ombudsman dismissed Alcala’s defense that Mañalac had already resigned on Oct. 1, 2012. The ombudsman pointed out that when Ella’s foundation applied for accreditation with the DA on Sept. 27, 2012, “Mañalac was still Alcala’s HEA and was program director of the APTC Program.” The ombudsman said Alcala must be held liable “for not doing anything to investigate any material violation of the MOA and build a case for the proper legal action that DA could institute against the foundation.” Meanwhile, the second case involves the DA’s purchase of 375 sets of irrigation pumps and engines amounting to P29 million through negotiated procurement in September 2010. The ombudsman said the purchase was made through alternative method of repeat order from supplier Agricom despite an existing P116.93-million contract with the same company entered in April 2010 for 1,500 sets of pump and engine. The anti-graft body also questioned why it was Agricom that was invited to attend the negotiated procurement proceedings for the repeat order when there was a second bidder that participated in the first public bidding for the P116.93million contract. Ombudsman investigators also noted that several documents relative to the negotiated procurement such as the BAC resolution, Notice of Award and Obligation Request were all signed on April 8, 2010. The ombudsman said some acceptance reports also bore dates ahead of the dates of inspection.