Latin America

Davao agri officials suspended over overpriced disinfectants

Lian Buan

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Davao agri officials suspended over overpriced disinfectants
The officials are charged for buying P3 million worth disinfectants despite a lower bid

MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture officials from Davao City were suspended for 90 days over a graft charge for buying allegedly overpriced disinfectants.

Senior agriculturists Melani Provido and Isabelita Buduan, and administrative officer Marie Ann Constantino, all from Regional Field Unit XI in Davao City, were placed on a 90-day preventive suspension by the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

“The Office of the Ombudsman found that the accused entered into a grossly and manifestly disadvantageous contract with FKA Agri-Chemical for the procurement of 38 drums of disinfectant amounting to P3,040,000.00, despite the existence of a lower bid from another qualified bidder amounting to only P2,647,308.00,” the office said in a statement released on Monday, January 8.

The Sandiganbayan granted the motion of Ombudsman prosecutors to affirm their suspensions.

The 3 officials, who have already been arraigned for the graft charge, contested the suspension by saying “the deprivation of their salary as well as the humiliation and embarrassment that they will suffer will cause undue suffering and prejudice to them.”

A preventive suspension prevents a defendant from possibly tampering with records relevant to the case, or influencing possible witnesses within the office or beyond.

The officials said “they are not in a position to tamper with any kind of evidence as they are not the custodians of any relevant records.”

All 3 officials were members of the Technical Working Group on the procurement of disinfectants in 2012. – 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.