FORMER Bacolod City mayor Monico Puentevella and eight previous members of the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) were given 10 days to answer the administrative and criminal complaints filed against them before the Office of the Ombudsman-Visayas in Cebu City.
The order, dated May 4, was signed by Graft Investigator and Prosecution Officer IV Euphemia Bacalso, on behalf of Deputy Ombudsman for the Visayas Paul Elmer Clemente.
The complaint was filed by executive assistant Samuel Montoyo on March 27 against Puentevella; Jerome Solinap, former chairman of BAC; Victor Espina, former head BAC secretariat; Dr. Maria Agueda Trinidad dela Torre, former BAC vice-chairman; BAC members Ephraem Hechanova, Mae Cuaycong, and Maximino Sillo; Roger Dullano, former supervising administrative officer; and Aaron Bais, former special operations officer IV and Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO) officer, over the purchase of 10 vehicles for DRRMO in 2016.
Montoyo said yesterday, June 27, he received the copy of the order on June 22.
The order stated that the Ombudsman found enough basis to proceed with the criminal and administrative investigation of the violation of Article 220 or Illegal Use of Public Funds or Property of the Revised Penal Code; violation of Section 3 (e) and (g) of Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; violation of RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act; and misconduct/Executive Order No. 292 or Administrative Code of 1987.
The respondents are required to submit proof of service of their counter-affidavit and evidence to the complainant, who may file reply-affidavit within an extendible period of 10 days from receipt of the same, the Ombudsman said.
Failure to comply shall be deemed a waiver of the right to present the party’s counter-affidavit or reply-affidavit and the investigation shall proceed according to existing rules, it said.
Montoyo said the vehicles were requested by the DRRMO, but were used by the Bacolod City Police Office.
He said on March 4, 2016, Bais filed an obligation request for the purchase of disaster response and rescue equipment in the amount of P8.5 million.
Each unit of the brand new vehicle has an estimated cost of P850,000 which was also approved by Puentevella.