More graft charges filed vs ex-Caloocan mayor Echiverri

Lian Buan

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More graft charges filed vs ex-Caloocan mayor Echiverri
The former mayor now faces 7 counts of graft for unauthorized construction and drainage projects in Caloocan City

MANILA, Philippines – Five more counts of graft were filed before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan against former Caloocan City mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri in connection to P17 million worth of drainage and construction projects which were found to be irregular.

Echiverri just posted bail last week for two counts of graft earlier filed against him, also for similar iregularities in city projects from 2011 to 2013.

All the graft charges stem from the following multimillion-peso contracts awarded to construction companies without the required authorization from the Sangguniang Panlungsod:

  • January to June 2011: P5,592,866-contract awarded to RAR Builders Incorporated for the restoration of T. Samson Street extension and improvement of drainage system in Barangay 167

  • May to October 2011: P1,998,639-contract awarded to Caana Construction Corporation for the construction of the barangay hall in Barangay 154

  • June to September 2012: P1,513,378-contract awarded to EV & E Construction for the improvement of pathwalk and drainage system at Villa C.C.O, La Loma, Barangay 178

  • November 2012 to March 2013: P4,946,907-contract awarded to PB Grey Construction for drainage upgrading and improvement along Antipolo Street, Barangay 30

  • January to March 2013: P3,174,369-contract awarded to PB Grey Construction for drainage improvement along Apostol and G del Pilar Streets, and improvement of alleys at Barangay 65

His co-accused are former Caloocan city accountant Edna Centeno and former budget officer Jesus Garcia. The two were earlier charged separately for falsification of documents and posted their bails last week, with Echiverri.

In this new batch of charges, Centeno and Garcia again face separate charges for allegedly certifying allotment slips when there were no appropriations for the projects.

For falsifying allotment slips for the projects stated earlier, Centeno and Garcia were charged with 5 counts of falsification of documents.

In all projects, the amounts on the allegedly falsified allotment slips exceeded the amounts of the contracts awarded to companies. In most of them, the amounts were close to each other.

However, in the construction of the Barangay 154 Hall in 2011, the amount on the allotment slip was P5.4 million but the contract awarded to Canaa Corp was only P1.9 million.

The bail was set at P30,000 for each count of graft per person, and P12,000 for each count of falsification of documents per person. – Rappler.com

 

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Lian Buan

Lian Buan is a senior investigative reporter, and minder of Rappler's justice, human rights and crime cluster.