Ecija prov’l execs charged with graft

CABANATUAN CITY– Seven Capitol officials, led by re-electionist Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali and a businesswoman were charged March 18 before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged overpriced purchase of P25 million worth of schoolbags last year.

In an eight-page affidavit-complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman in Luzon by Vice Gov. Edward Thomas Joson, named respondents were Umali, provincial budget officer Randolph Alingig, provincial health officer Benjamin Lopez, Environment and Natural Resources officer Maximo Borja, Vicente Santos, Florante Fajardo and Leoncio Daniel, all members of the bids and awards committee of the provincial government and businesswoman Jennifer Avellana.

It was the 15th case against Umali filed by Joson, presiding officer of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The two top provincial officials are contesting the governorship in May, Umali under the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and the local party Partido Pagbabago and Joson under the Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija.

The graft charge accused the respondents of gross violations of RA3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Section 100, of the Local Government Code; grave abuse of discretion, misconduct in office and irregularity in the performance of duties among others.

The complaint stemmed from the purchase on March 12, 2009 by the local school board of the provincial government of P26 million worth of schoolbags despite the glaring shortage of classrooms in public elementary and high schools and the lack of teachers.

Joson said in his complaint that the appropriation is in gross violation of Section 100 of the LGC which mandates that the construction and maintenance of school buildings should be the topmost priority of the Local School Boards in the utilization of the Special Education Fund.

In the purchase request for the school bags, Umali sought the acquisition of two sets of schoolbags, one involving 231,000 pieces of backpacks and another 23,000 for pre-school kids with certain speci fications.

Records of the case showed the BAC held a public bidding for purchase of the schoolbags which was subsequently won by the Pateros-based EGRP Trading owned by Avellana.

When those charged were sought for comment, they could not be reached. – MG