A lawmaker on Monday asked the Bulacan provincial government to justify the purchase of P1.7 billion worth of medicines and construction materials without going through the required public bidding.
Liberal Party Rep. Joselito Andrew Mendoza of Bulacan, member for the House Majority Bloc of the House Committee on Appropriations, said that the Bulacan provincial government, headed by Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado, completed the purchase sans public bidding.
In January Councilor Jocylina Casimiro of Norzagaray, Bulacan, has filed graft and administrative cases against Sy-Alvarado and 21 other provincial officials and private individuals for violating Republic Act (RA) 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and RA 9184, also known as the Government Procurement Act over the alleged illegal procurement.
Casimiro said that she based her complaint on a report of the Commission on Audit, which discovered the alleged irregularities in the transactions entered into by the provincial government from 2012 to 2014.
Moreover, Mendoza, in an interview after the Kapihan sa Diamond Hotel news forum, said “Our constituents are always asking us [Bulacan government officials] where are these medicines and construction materials…. So a clear explanation is needed from the provincial government.”
The lawmaker, citing a Commission on Audit report, said the Bulacan provincial government purchased drugs and construction supplies in method called “splitting the contracts” allegedly to favor select contractors and suppliers and do away with public bidding.
“The government purchases amounting to P500,000 or more should be offered to registered suppliers through a competitive public bidding,” Mendoza, a former governor of Bulacan, said.
Currently, Sy-Alvarado is facing a recall petition following some alleged irregularities in the provincial government of Bulacan, including the alleged illegal purchased of P1.7 billion worth of medicines and construction materials.
Meanwhile, Mendoza said that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now verifying the 319,777 signatures on a recall petition against Sy-Alvarado as the Supreme Court affirmed the sufficiency of the petition and dismissed a plea for a temporary restraining order.
“Registered voters can initiate recall proceedings against elected officials for loss of confidence,” he said. A recall petition requires the signatures of 10 percent of the voting population of the province.
A news report showed that the petition was filed by Perlita Mendoza, who served as provincial administrator from 2007 to 2009 under the administration of then governor and now Mendoza.