Eastern Samar governor charged with graft

MANILA, Philippines - Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone is facing plunder and graft charges before the Office of the Ombudsman, as he is accused of purchasing overpriced tractors worth P173 million.

In a seven-page complaint, Eastern Samar Rep. Teodulo Coquilla and his consultant, Manuel Chicano, also accused Evardone of grave misconduct, dishonesty and conduct grossly prejudicial to the best of interest of the service for allegedly misappropriating a P173-million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Coquilla and Chicano said hand tractors were among the heavy equipment bought by the provincial government at P91,326.17 each despite a lower credit sales price of P80,466.63 per unit.

They said the transaction, in effect, resulted in the loss of government funds amounting to P325,786.20 for the hand tractors alone.

The complaint also mentioned two water trucks and two stake trucks that were delivered and paid P14,363,468 by the provincial government.

None of the trucks, Coquilla and Chicano alleged, were used due to air-conditioning problems. But instead of rejecting the trucks, the provincial government merely kept these in storage, and the trucks have been unused since June 2007.

Coquilla and Chicano also said the provincial government bought a service vehicle worth P1,131,532 allegedly without authority from the provincial board, and a supposedly brand new bulldozer valued at $240,801 that later turned out to be second-hand.

But Evardone expressed optimism that he would be cleared of the charges, which he said were politically motivated as the 2010 elections are fast approaching.

In a phone interview, Evardone said he was surprised about the timing of the filing of the case against him, adding that the purchase of the tractors and other equipment underwent all legal procedures.

“Very clearly, this is political,” he said, adding that Coquilla probably thought that he would run against him in the 2010 elections.

“Aside from that, the Commission on Audit did not say nagkaroon ng (there was) overpricing,” he said.

“Surprisingly the transaction took place in 2006. Why only now?” he added. – With Miriam Garcia Desacada