NV gov, board members face raps over purchase of SUVs

By Charlie Lagasca 

SOLANO, Nueva Vizcaya – Gov. Ruth Padilla and members of the provincial board are facing graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman over the controversial purchase of brand new sport utility vehicles (SUVs) costing P18 million.

In a complaint filed before the Office of the Ombudsman for Luzon last week, Padilla, Vice Gov. EpifanioGalima and the 12 members of the provincial board were accused of violating Republic Acts 3019 (Code of Ethics for Public Officials and Employees) and 6713 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

The 12 board members are Efren Quiben, Victor Ginez, Nestor Sevillena, Dolores Binwag Donior Tidang, Johnny Liban, Pepito Balgos, Filma Perez, Santiago Dickson, Primo Marcos, Flodemonte Gerdan, MerlieTalingdan, and Rex Iritan.    

Describing it as “unnecessary, excessive and extravagant,” the complaint said the purchase of the 12 Toyota Fortuners for each of the board members allegedly violated the rules and implementing guidelines on the procurement of government vehicles as set in RAs 3019 and 6713 as well as in a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) memorandum circular dated June 3, 2013. 

Under the DILG circular, the complaint said, provincial board members are not entitled to receive service vehicles at the expense of public funds since they are not considered front-line officers extending direct government services to the public.

The complainants, in their capacity as taxpayers, said the funds allocated for the SUVs should have been used instead for more pressing needs such as education, health services and farm-to-market roads.

The complainants were Edgar Bartolome, of the Catholic Church-run dwRV Radio Veritas here; Alfonso Shog-oy, a councilman in Aritao town; Emmanuel Minia, a former local government employee, and Fernando Villoso, a farmer from Bambang town.

Meanwhile, Galima said last week that DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, in a letter to Padilla, approved the provincial government’s authority to purchase the SUVs, which cost at least P1.4 million each, last February.

Under a DILG circular, any local government needs the DILG’s approval before it can procure a four-wheel vehicle for official government functions. The price of the vehicle, however, must not exceed P1.3 million.

Of the 12 Toyota Fortuners, Galima said four have been delivered and are now being used by Quiben, Liban, Gerdan and Balgos. The rest are expected by the end of the month.

The amount allocated for the SUVs’ purchase was part of an ordinance passed last Aug. 27, which also allotted funds for the purchase of 14 laptops with printers, 14 pocket Wi-Fi devices, 14 cell phones, 14 tablets, 14 cameras and 15 swivel chairs for the board members.