Dismissed Negros vice mayor faces raps

MANILA, Philippines -  The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against Romel Yogore, dismissed vice mayor of Valladolid, Negros Occidental, in connection with an agricultural project.

Former municipal agriculturist Giovanni Robles, bids and awards committee members Joseph Alfonso Manayon, Ernesto Genobis, Daisy Galve, Cherryl Aguirre, Merlene Magbanua and Ramonito Amazona as well as Romeo Tanalgo of FranMar Agro-Industrial Sales were included in the charge sheet recently signed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales.

Based on the complaint, Yogore conspired with the other respondents to award a contract worth P698,000 to FranMar for the repair of two mechanical grain dyers in 2008 without public bidding. The contract was part of a P1-million agricultural project of the municipality when Yogore was mayor.

The ombudsman said investigation showed that FranMar was not an exclusive distributor of dryers, but only a sub-dealer.

“Government procurement shall be done through competitive public bidding. Alternative methods shall be resorted to only in highly exceptional cases provided under the law,” the ombudsman resolution read.

Yogore and his co-accused were earlier found guilty of grave misconduct and ordered dismissed from the service. The Department of the Interior and Local Government served the dismissal order on Monday.