Syjuco denies P6-M mobile phone project anomaly

MANILA, Philippines -  Former Iloilo Second District congresswoman Judy Syjuco yesterday maintained she did not receive a single centavo from the alleged anomalous P5.9-million mobile phone distribution project during her term as lawmaker.

“What cell phones? I never saw cell phones nor any single centavo,” Syjuco said in a statement after the Sandiganbayan Third Division denied her motion to dismiss the graft and malversation cases filed against her and 10 other individuals including former officials of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC).

The Sandigan ruled that the evidence submitted by the Office of the Ombudsman is enough to proceed to trial for the alleged payment of P5.9 million to West Island Beverages Distributor (West Island) for the purchase of 1,582 units of Nokia 1100 cell phones using Syjuco’s Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel.

The ombudsman said payment was made despite the non-delivery of the cell phones to the intended beneficiaries – the municipal tele-centers in Region 6. It added that since West Island is not an accredited supplier, it should have been disqualified from the bidding.

In her statement, Syjuco maintained that the funds were never released by the DOTC.

“Funds for it were to come from realignments of savings from DOTC, but secretary Leandro Mendoza could not finish these realignments before end of the year 2004. Hence, the SAROs (special allotment release orders) expired (on)Dec. 31, 2004. So, that was the end of it for me,” she explained.