Pinol, chair of the provincial board, said provincial administrator Jerry Pieldad, chair of the Bids and Awards Committee of North Cotabato, abused his authority when he allowed the advance delivery of a brand new Nissan X-trail, a sports utility vehicle detailed to him, without the necessary documents.
The vehicle, costing around P1.5 million, was delivered to Pieldad last February 27, Pinol said.
Pieldad, he said, has “no moral ascendancy” to impose policies regarding procurement of supplies, vehicles, and materials because he has violated such guidelines.
The delivery violated a provision of Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. “The delivery took place even without a purchase request, a purchase order, and the other papers are not yet complete,” he said.
But Pieldad, Pinol said, was so strict in imposing the policy on others.
He said Pieldad rejected last month the delivery of fertilizers and other agriculture supplies needed by the agriculture department. He also disapproved last month the release of supplies of the North Cotabato Provincial Hospital because of incomplete papers.
“Why are you imposing such policies when you can’t even follow them? You even violated these policies? You have no moral ascendancy to lead your men,” Pinol told Pieldad during the question hour of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that lasted for more than two hours.
Pieldad defended himself by saying he did not ask the provincial government to buy him a car. He said it was Governor Jesus Sacdalan who told him to buy a new car.
“I have my own car. I can use it and let the government pay my fuel expenses. Also, I can use anoother car. But Gov. Sacdalan was insistent that I buy a new car using government funds,” he said.
He also blamed the car dealer for what he called the “prompt” delivery of the Nissan X-trail even if the company knows the papers are not yet complete. “It’s one of the risks that they took when they delivered the vehicle to me. This is not my own making. I did not violate any policy,” he told the board. (MindaNews)