COA report: Medical equipment in Makati overpriced by P61M

Vice President Jejomar Binay and Makati Mayor Junjun Binay chat during a joint meeting of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines and the Management Association of the Philippines at the Intercontinental Hotel in Makati City. Ernie Penaredondo

MANILA, Philippines - Several medical equipment purchased by the Makati City government during the term of Vice President Jejomar Binay's wife were also overpriced, according to a past special audit report disclosed by Commission on Audit (COA) Commissioner Heidi Mendoza.

Mendoza was invited to the Senate Blue Ribbon Sub-Committee hearing on the Makati City Hall II parking building on Thursday after it was revealed last week that irregular government transactions continued when Dr. Elenita Binay was the mayor from 1998 to 2001.

Mendoza was still an auditor when she led in 2001 and 2002 the special audit on the transactions during the term of Binay's wife.

She said the report discovered an overpricing of P61.2 million out of the total purchase price of P70.56 million in various medical equipment from a single supplier.

Mendoza said the overpricing was done through acts of falsification.

"Pinalabas po ng iisang supplier or contractor na siya ay exclusive distributor. Ibig sabihin po nito, wala pong public bidding na naganap," Mendoza said at the televised Senate hearing.

Sen. Antonio Trillanes said the findings shared by Mendoza were relevant since they show a "pattern" of corruption and overpriced transactions under the Binays.

The COA commissioner presented to the senators some of the report's highlights:

Equipment Makati purchase price COA audit price Overprice amount Overprice in percentage
Autoclaves/sterilizers P1,465,000 P16,000 P1,449,000 9,056%
Fetal monitoring system P2,680,000 P538,000 P2,142,000  398%
Regular hospital bed P148,000 P9,032.76 P138,867.24  1,537%
ICU bed P545,000 P34,123.76 P510,876.24  1,497%
Orthopaedics bed P480,000 P24,087.36 P455,912.64 1,893%
Ultrasound machine P7,980,000 P1,299,750 P6,680,250 514%
Hospital Cabinets P17,850 P2,258.19 P15,591.81 690%

 

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