Ex-Laguna mayor charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Ombudsman has filed graft charges against a former mayor of Biñan, Laguna over the local government’s alleged anomalous award of a contract amounting to P71 million for a solid waste management project.

Hermis Perez was charged on Oct. 5 with violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly giving “unwarranted benefit, advantage and preference” to Victor Rojo, president of Etsaw Consultancy and Construction of Environmental Technologies International Corp. (ECCE).

Based on the charge sheet prepared by Assistant Prosecutor Jorge Espinal, the contract was awarded to ECCE in November 2001. 

The contract was for project management, documentation, installation, testing, supervision and trainings.

The ombudsman said the contract was amended on March 25, 2002 to include the supply of Hydromex techonology-equipment for zero waste management.

Aside from lack of public bidding, the ombudsman said the contract was awarded to ECCE without recommendation or approval of the bids and awards committee. 

The ombudsman said Perez also did not conduct a background check on the financial and technical capability of ECCE.

The project reportedly did not materialize as the 5,000-square-meter lot purchased for the facility was instead used as an open dump.

Bail was recommended at P30,000.