The Office of the Ombudsman has found probable cause to charge six local executives of Ronda, Cebu, for 15 counts of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act (Republic Act No. 3019). Facing trial for graft before the Sandiganbayan are Mayor Mariano Blanco III, Oscar Pilapil (Municipal Engineer), Thelma Landiza (Municipal Budget Officer), Brigida Cabaron (Municipal Assistant Treasurer), Frauline Requilme (Clerk) and Evelina Tan (Utility Worker).
Ombudsman investigators found that the local officials failed to post the invitations to bid on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) from 2012 until 2013. Out of 16 procurement projects, the respondents failed to post the invitations to bid for 15 projects involving the construction of the CL School Building at Madanglog Elementary School, medicines, materials for maintenance of public buildings, materials for the completion of the Butong Health center, construction of Langin Barangay Hall and emergency access road along Poblacion and Planas-Oval-Poblacion roads, electric supplies, materials for the construction of Butong Day Care Center and the legislative building.
Under Section 21.2 of the implementing rules and regulations of the Government Procurement Reform Act (Republic Act No. 9184), the invitation to bid is required to be posted conspicuously in the PhilGEPS website, the website of the procuring entity, if available, for seven calendar days starting on the date of advertisement.
Under Section 3(e) of R.A. No. 3019, public officials are prohibited from causing any undue injury to any party, or giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence. ###