MANILA, Philippines- Ipinag-utos ng Office of the Ombudsman ang pagsasampa ng kaso laban kay dating Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) chief Hermenegildo Serafica sa delay sa procurement ng farming tools.
Sa 21-page joint resolution, sinabi ng Ombudsman na nilabag ni Serafica ang Republic Act 9184 o ang “Government Procurement Reform Act.”
Ayon sa Ombudsman, binuksan ang invitation to bid para sa procurement ng harrowers mula Aug. 23 hanggang Sept. 13, 2017. Subalit, inilabas lamang ang notice to proceed noong Sept. 3, 2020.
Pinarurusahan sa ilalim ng Section 65 (a) (2) ng RA 9184 ang sinumang public official na nagdudulot ng delay nang walang “justifiable cause” sa paggawad ng kontrata nang lampas sa itinakdang periods of bids o iba pang dokumento.
“The procurement of the tractors appears to have been also neglectfully delayed denying the SRA the use thereof from 2017 to 2020, hence it cannot be used as justification for delaying the implementation and delivery of the harrowers,” saad sa resolusyon.
“Stated differently, none of the respondents were able to show that the subject procurement was entirely dependent on the 2020 farm tractor procurement,” dagdag nito.
Nahatulan ding guilty si Serafica sa gross neglect of duty ang grave misconduct “for his failure to timely award the contract, issue the notice to proceed, and comply with the procurement periods both under RA 9184 and its IRR.”
Nagbitiw sa pwesto si Serafica noong nakaraang taon kasunod ng kontrobersyal na order para mag-angkat ng 300,000 metric tons ng asukal upang tugunan ang umano’y nakaambang shortage.
Subalit, ibinasura ng Ombudsman ang graft and corruption case laban kay Serafica “considering that the allegations do not fall within the crimes defined” sa ilalim ng RA 3019 o ang “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.” RNT/SA
