DPWH exec, 9 others in Cebu lamppost scam post bail

Public Works Director Robert Lala and nine other accused in graft charges in connection with alleged anomalies in the decorative lampposts project used in last year’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit posted bail before the Sandigabayan yesterday.

The accused in one of the seven counts of graft case each paid P30,000 with the third division of the anti-graft court for their temporary release. The division, chaired by Associate Justice Francisco Villaruz Jr., on Thursday ordered the arrest of Lala and nine other accused to face charges for violation of R.A. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act).

 Also ordered arrested were: Gloria Dindin, former assistant director for Region XII; Marlina Alvizo, assistant director and chair of Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) of the regional office; Pureza Fernandez, officer-in-charge of the Maintenance Division; Cresensio Bagolor, assistant chief of the Maintenance Division; Agustinito Hermoso, Luis Galang, Restituto Diano, and Buenaventura Pajo, all members of the BAC; and Gerardo Surla, chairman of Gampik Construction and Development Inc.

The case being handled by the third division – the fifth in seven filed by the Office of the Ombudsman last month – is regarding the supply and installation of 89 decorative lamps along W.O. Seno, C.D. Seno, Plaridel and J. Briones Sts. in Mandaue City.

The respondents were accused of graft for supposed overpricing the lampposts at P50,000 each when it was found that each unit cost no more than P4,800. The Ombudsman said the transaction was “grossly disadvantageous” to the government.

 There are six other graft cases filed before the Sandiganbayan by the Office of the Ombudsman for the supposed overpricing of a total of 880 pieces of lampposts for the ASEAN summit held in Cebu last year.

In other cases, Former Mandaue City mayor Thadeo Ouano and incumbent Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Arturo Rada­za were also implicated along with Isabelo Braza, the president and chairman of Fabmik Construction and Equipment Supply Company Inc., City engineers Hidelisa Latonio, Gregorio Omo, Mario Gerolaga, Alfredo Sanchez, Rosalina Denque, Julito Cuizon, Fernan­do Tagaan Jr., and Rodelio Veloso were also charged.

All nine officials of DPWH and eight city engineers involved in the scam were earlier ordered dismissed from service by Ombudsman Ma. Merceditas Gutiettez.

The officials from Man­daue, together with Fabmik’s Braza, were impleaded in two of the seven cases while the officials from Lapu-Lapu City and Braza were impleaded in two other cases. Surla, on the other hand, was impleaded in three of the seven cases, along with the indicted DPWH officials.

 The accused are facing charges of violation of Secretary 3(g) of R.A. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) in all seven cases.