Lapu-Lapu purchasing exec explains price of computers

A purchasing official of the Lapu-Lapu City government has justified the price of the 470 computer sets bought and distributed to the public schools in Lapu-Lapu City, Olango Island, neighboring islet barangays.

City procurement officer Alfonso Kilantang wrote to Rolando Duero, secretary of Mayor Arturo Radaza, and representative of the City School Board explaining the details of the purchase. A copy of Kilantang letter was furnished to The FREEMAN.

Kilantang told Duero that each of the purchased 470 computer sets is complete with accessories, computer table, chair, automatic voltage regulator, glass filter, mouse, keypad, and earphone.

The price of every computer also included the cost of the delivery and installation of the workstations in the barangays, the 10 percent value-added tax, and warranty for parts and services that was extended from one year only to five years.

With all these peripherals and add-on features, the P50,000 price per computer workstation is justified, said Kilantang. “I hope that the foregoing will give you a more clear picture and understanding on the procurement of the said computer workstations.”

Mayor Arturo Radaza said he exercised “prudence and circumspection” and claimed innocence in the alleged overpricing. He said that his legal responsibility, as local chief executive and the approving authority by being head of the procurement committee, is “ministerial”, relying only on the presumption of regularity in the dealings of his subordinates.

The Ombudsman-Visayas, last December, found grounds to upgrade into a formal criminal charge the complaint filed by businessman Efrain Pelaez Jr. against Radaza and 19 others for alleged overpricing of the computers, worth a total of P23.4 million, in 2005.

The mayor had since then denied the allegation, including the accusations that the city government favored the winning bidder Kein Enterprises over other suppliers, which were deemed to have failed to submit pre-qualification documents in the bidding.

In his counter affidavit, Radaza said Pelaez filed the case in retaliation of the mayor’s order to destroy the latter’s causeway across Agus Cove. He also accused Pelaez of trying to dupe former mayor, Ernest Weigel Jr.

Ernest’s widow, Paz, who ran against Radaza but lost, and son Mark Steven, later executed affidavits to support Radaza’s allegations against Pelaez.  — Jose P. Sollano/RAE