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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/25 January) –The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the filing of graft charges against local government officials of Davao Oriental for the alleged anomalous purchase of heavy equipment worth P15 million in 2005, a report posted in the Ombudsman website on Friday said.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said her office found probable cause to charge the following for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act): former Boston mayor Ramie Rosit; municipal vice-mayor Amie Monredondo; councilors Judith Castres, Luisa Alac, Juvenil Linaza, Wilfredo Jubac, Levira Lintogonan, Norberto Dumaguete, Allen De Jesus, and Marcial Plaza;
Association of Barangay Councils president Nilo Rosit; and Sangguniaang Kabataan Municipal Federation President Sotelo Vincent Cabrera.
The report cited that the Commission on Audit (COA) found out that the municipality of Boston entered into a P15 million loan agreement with the Philippine National Bank for the purchase of a motor grader and wheel loader.
The COA found that the purchase did not conduct bidding but resorted instead to direct contracting without ascertaining that there were no sub-dealers selling at lower prices and no suitable substitute can be obtained at more advantageous terms to the government.
Meanwhile, the criminal case against Plaza was dismissed in view of his death in May 2009. (MindaNews)