Probe on alleged full payment for defective furniture sought

CEBU, Philippines - The contractors who sued officials of the Department of Education for the supposed anomalous purchase of defective school furniture are urging the Office of the Ombudsman to look into reports that the alleged supplier of the furniture has received full payment from DepEd despite its alleged failure to rectify the defects on the items.

Representatives of JEC Lumber Corporation and Ramagal Sash Manufacturing said they will send a letter to the Ombudsman on Monday to formally request a parallel investigation.

The contractors earlier filed a complaint against top officials of DepEd and seven members of DepEd- Cebu Bids and Awards Committee for the purchase of the defective furniture amounting to P45 million.

The contractors also challenged the provincial officials of DepEd to inform the public of the exact payment DepEd allegedly made to Gala Industries Corporation, the alleged supplier of the defective furniture.

The complainants said that the reported full payment is highly suspicious, considering that DepEd Cebu province has reportedly scheduled bidding for another set of school furniture using the 2008 budget anytime this month.

The complainants earlier asked the anti-graft office to suspend all members of the DepEd Cebu Province Bids and Awards Committee to avoid suspicions should another bidding takes place.

After the complaint was filed, Cebu Province Schools Division Superintendent Arden Monisit asked the Department of Budget and Management to defer the payment of the remaining balance to Gala Industries Corporation amounting to P4 million.

Monisit also asked Gala Industries to rectify the defects.

“With reference to the supply and delivery of elementary tables and chairs, teacher’s tables and chairs/armchairs for calendar year 2007, we would like to request for the immediate rectification of the defective furniture delivered to the recipient schools of the said project,” Monisit’s letter reads. 

The FREEMAN that first exposed the controversy early this year later learned that Gala Industries conducted a massive repair of the defective school furniture

Among the factors that made the furniture substandard is the usage of nails instead of wood screw for the students’ chairs. The teachers’ table also did not have handles. 

Cracks were also discovered on some elementary tables like those in Casay Elementary School in Dalaguete town and Doña Milagros Osmeña Elementary School in Borbon. Some suspected that contrary to the requirement of DepEd, the material used by not marine plywood. — Jose P. Sollano/JMO   (FREEMAN NEWS)