Ex-Caloocan mayor faces graft raps

MANILA, Philippines - Former Caloocan City mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri and two others are facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the allegedly anomalous drainage projects worth P4.713 million in 2011.

Echiverri, former city accountant Edna Centeno and former city budget officer Jesusa Garcia were charged on Tuesday for violating Republic Act 2019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

The Office of the Ombudsman said Echiverri conspired with Centeno and Garcia in awarding a P2.751-million contract to E.V. & E Construction and another P1.962-million deal to Golden 3T Construction for drainage improvement projects in Barangays 165 and 179, respectively.

Graft investigation and prosecution officer Leilani Tagulao-Marquez said the contracts were awarded without authorization and budget allocation from the city council.

Centeno and Garcia were also charged with falsification of public documents for forging allotment and obligation slips to make it appear that the city council allocated funds for the projects.

The ombudsman recommended P60,000 bail for Echiverri while Centeno and Garcia’s bail were set at P84,000 each.