Ex-PNP chief faces raps over P131-M rubber boats

MANILA, Philippines - Retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Verzosa and seven other ranking police officials on active duty are facing graft charges before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the questionable purchase of 75 defective rubber boats and 18 spare engines for P131.5 million in 2008.

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales ordered yesterday the filing of graft charges with the Sandiganbayan against Verzosa, directors general Jefferson Soriano and Benjamin Belarmino Jr., directors Luizo Ticman, Ronald Roderos, and Romeo Hilomen; and chief superintendents Herold Ubalde and Villamor Bumanglag.

The charges against the police officials stemmed from complaints filed by the Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement Offices (MOLEO) dated Nov. 15, 2011 and Feb. 17, 2012.

Morales, in a 109-page resolution signed on Sept. 26, affirmed the findings of a special panel of investigators tasked to probe the alleged anomaly.

The procurement of the 75 police rubber boats and 18 spare engines or outboard motors was part of the PNP’s annual procurement plan for 2008 under its Capability Enhancement Program.

Records showed the PNP bids and awards committee (BAC) conducted the opening of bids on Sept. 9, 2008, after which only the joint venture of Enviro-Aire and Stoneworks Specialist International Corp., among three proponents, passed eligibility and set for post-qualification.

But in the aftermath of the heavy flooding caused by tropical storm “Ondoy” and typhoon “Pepeng,” the BAC recommended the discontinuation of the bidding process in favor of negotiated procurement.

The Office of the Ombudsman’s special panel of investigators, however, found out that the boats and engines ordered for disaster response were delivered months after the onslaught of Ondoy and Pepeng.

“(It) took roughly six months or 180 calendar days from the time the alternative mode of procurement was adopted before the needed police rubber boats and outboard motors were finally delivered or, it bears emphasis, long after typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng had occurred,” the Ombudsman’s report said.

Records also showed that the PNP entered into four separate supply contracts, all dated Dec. 18, 2009 – with EnviroAire for the supply of 93 units of outboard motors for P44,175,000 and 10 units of rubber boats for P11,650,000, as well as with Geneve for the supply of 41 units of rubber boats for P47,765,000, and with Bay Industrial for the supply of 10 units of rubber boats for P11,650,000.

Upon delivery of the initial batch of rubber boats and outboard motors, the PNP Maritime Group, through its Technical Inspection Committee on Watercrafts, “discovered various deficiencies in these equipment, which make their use risky to end-users.”

It also found out that the boats and engines were not functional when fitted together, thus, were useless for the PNP’s disaster operation efforts.

The Ombudsman’s special panel of investigators is jointly chaired by directors Diosdado Calonge and Nellie Boguen-Golez, with assistant special prosecutor Anna Isabel Aurellano, graft investigation and prosecution officer Myra Sarmiento-Borromeo, graft investigation and prosecution officer Israel Lay-at, and graft investigation and prosecution officer Christian Yap as members. Morales said the complaints filed against 42 other respondents were dismissed for lack of evidence.