The Department of Budget and Management on Saturday said it will adhere to the Office of the Ombudsman’s suspension order against officials involved in the purchase of alleged overpriced laptops for public school teachers in 2021.
“The Department of Budget and Management, under the leadership of Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, assures the public of its utmost compliance with the decision set by the Office of the Ombudsman against former Procurement Service and DBM officials due to their alleged involvement in the purchase of reportedly overpriced laptops for the Department of Education,” it said in a statement.
It added that Pangandaman has already directed concerned officials to implement the suspension order against former and present PS-DBM officials and employees involved in the controversial procurement deal of DepEd laptops.
In a resolution, Ombudsman Samuel Martires issued a six-month preventive suspension without pay against education and budget officials, pending the investigation into the P2.4-billion laptop procurement for the DepEd Computerization Program.
Citing reports from the Commission on Audit, the Ombudsman found sufficient grounds to preventively suspend the officials for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty and gross neglect of duty.
The DBM has already requested an independent investigation from the National Bureau of Investigation in August 2022.
The DepEd also assured that the suspension of its officials won’t affect the education services of the department, especially the preparations for the opening of School Year 2023-2024.
“DepEd adheres to due process and shall abide by the said Order. Meanwhile, the Department reassures the public of its unhampered services as we prepare for a safe and orderly opening of School Year 2023-2024,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said.
Among the education officials ordered to be placed under six-month suspensions are former PS-DBM officers-in-charge Lloyd Christopher Lao and Jasonmer Uayan; and procurement management officers Ulysses Mora, Marwin Amil, and Paul Armand Estrada as well as Alec Ladanga, former Executive Assistant IV of the Office of Usec. Sevilla; Marcelo Bragado, Director IV of DepEd’s Procurement Management Service; and Selwyn Briones, DepEd’s Supervising Administrative Officer.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Saturday urged the Ombudsman to go after the contractors involved in the alleged overpriced laptop procurement deals.
Pimentel said the anti-corruption body should undertake “vigorous efforts” in reclaiming public funds used in the anomalous purchasing deals.
“The Ombudsman’s decision to impose preventive suspension sends a strong signal that any alleged wrongdoing will be treated seriously. It is equally vital to thoroughly examine the role of the contractor in this anomalous transaction, from its background to how it secured the contract,” he said.
It is imperative for the Ombudsman “to regain taxpayers’ money, expended on items that did not align with the government’s actual needs.”
The PS-DBM awarded the contract to Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc.
Pimentel earlier authored the Senate Resolution 120, which called for a comprehensive investigation into the laptop procurement carried out by DepEd through PS-DBM.
In previous hearings, the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee found out that the joint-venture companies failed to meet the technical specifications required for the laptops, rendering them unsuitable for the teachers’ needs.
The companies were also unable to complete the delivery within the agreed target dates outlined in the procurement contract.
“Our citizens deserve to know the exact circumstances that led to the selection of the joint venture comprising Sunwest Construction and Development Corp., LDLA Marketing and Trading Inc. and VST ECS Philippines Inc. for this significant procurement,” Pimentel said.
He criticized the PS-DBM over its failure to promptly blacklist the suppliers involved in the anomalous laptop deals by the recommendation of the Commission on Audit.
The Blue Ribbon Committee, he said, will continue to perform its duty and help in seeking out the truth behind the alleged overpriced laptop deal.