A leader of the Young Guns in the House of Representatives has sought an in-depth congressional probe into the alleged irregularities in the bidding of laptops and other electronic devices under the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Computerization Program, which put the government at a disadvantage amounting to P1.6 billion during Vice President Sara Duterte’s tenure as Education Secretary.
During the hearing on the P793.18 billion proposed DepEd’s budget Monday, House Assistant Majority Leader and Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Jil Bongalon, a vice chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, raised possible irregularities in the bidding of the P8-billion fund for the purchase of laptops that had two biddings.
“Sa madaling sabi po, Madam Chair, rigged po ‘yung bidding,” Bongalon alleged.
“And I would like to manifest, Madam Chair, this warrants an in-depth investigation probably in a proper committee after this budget hearing,”
Bongalon said to the House Committee on Appropriations briefing presided by Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen Zamora.
Without objections, the House Committee on Appropriations carried Batangas 2nd District Rep. Gerville “Jinky” Luistro’s motion to issue a subpoena duces tecum to DepEd.
Bongalon exposed what he described as an alleged “conspiracy” behind the bidding of P8 billion worth of laptops and other related equipment for public schools.
“I would just like to say na may conspiracy na naganap. Imagine, nagbidding na, and it’s all favorable to the government tapos nag-rebidding naging 1% yung variance. Hindi po ba yun malaking kuwestiyon sa DepEd family?” Bongalon asked.
“Sa madaling sabi dito, Madam Chair, tumaas ang presyo ng laptop, and it is because of the conspiracy of the people behind this bidding of laptops,” he said.
He told new DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara said that he may not be able to answer his questions as he would raise concerns about the procurement of laptops and other equipment for public schools in 2022 and 2023.
Answering Bongalon’s queries, DepEd Undersecretary Gerard Chan said that during the first bidding, out of the 16 lots up for bidding, only two were awarded, and the 14 other disqualified bidders were allowed to bid again in a rebidding.
Bongalon said that according to information received by his office, a 24% variance was recorded during the first bidding.
He was surprised to learn that during the rebidding, the variance went down to only 1%, which resulted in the government losing as much as P1.6 billion.
“I raise these concerns because probably there is an irregularity in the procurement. And there are personalities involved at mayroon pong nakialam dito, yun po ang paniniwala ko,” Bongalon said.
“Kasi nagkaroon na po ng bidding. Ang hindi ko po maintindihan, bakit hindi natin tinuloy? Sayang po ng P1.6 billion na mase-save po ng ating gobyerno. Sabihin na lamang natin na ang laptop is worth P100,000, ilang laptops na po ang mabibili nun?” he said. “So I want answers, Madam Chair, from the Department of Education kung sino po ang mga personalidad during that time.”
Chan succeeded former DepEd Undersecretaries Michael Poa and Gloria Mercado.
Poa has joined Duterte in the Office of the Vice President as her spokesperson, while Mercado has availed herself of early retirement.
Another DedEd official, Bongalon, dragged into the procurement mess, former Assistant Secretary Francis Cesar Bringas, has resigned.
Chan said that during the first bidding, Bringas was the chairperson of the Bids and Awards Committee, and Mercado was the Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE). He said both are no longer connected to DepEd.
Chan added that the one who replaced Mercado as HOPE during the second bidding was former DepEd USec Michael Poa, now the spokesperson of VP Duterte.
Bongalon pressed Chan on why the computerization program fund was rebidded and asked him to explain the reduced variance of 1%. Chan was not able to answer the query.
“The Filipino people deserve to know, dahil pondo po ito ng taumbayan. Ang pondo pong ito ay para pambili ng laptop and other ECLs. So ‘yun lang po ang aking kinukwestyon dito, the possible irregularity, the graft and corruption that is so patent in this bidding,” Bongalon alleged.
Bongalon raised the possibility that some of the members of the BAC then or the HOPE may have something to do with the irregularity in the bidding.
“Probably, Madam Chair, involved dito ang mga nakaupo sa BAC and, of course, ‘yung head of the procuring entity,” he said.
