By Czarina Nicole Ong
Former Iloilo 5th District Rep. Rolex Suplico has been charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan due to his alleged involvement in the priority development assistance fund (PDAF) scam.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
He was accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, alongside Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) director general Antonio Ortiz and Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. president Alfredo Ronquillo.
The three of them reportedly conspired with one another from February to May 2007 with regard to the implementation of the livelihood and development projects worth P15 million for the 5th District of Iloilo, which came from the PDAF of Suplico for 2007.
From that amount, P14,700,000 was transferred to the nongovernment organization Aaron Foundation on May 4 despite several irregularities.
Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge B. Espinal wrote in the charge sheet that Aaron Foundation was ineligible to take on the projects due to its lack of a business permit and its dubious existence.
At the same time, the implementing agency - TLRC - accepted the NGO and released the funds to it based only on the endorsement of Suplico and Ortiz and not through public bidding or a negotiated procurement, which is needed under R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Espinal also faulted Suplico for his "utter lack of effort to ensure the implementation of the projects and the liquidation of public funds," therefore causing undue injury to the government.
Their bail bond has been set at P30,000 each.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
He was accused of violating Section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019, also known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, alongside Technology and Livelihood Resource Center (TLRC) director general Antonio Ortiz and Aaron Foundation Philippines Inc. president Alfredo Ronquillo.
The three of them reportedly conspired with one another from February to May 2007 with regard to the implementation of the livelihood and development projects worth P15 million for the 5th District of Iloilo, which came from the PDAF of Suplico for 2007.
From that amount, P14,700,000 was transferred to the nongovernment organization Aaron Foundation on May 4 despite several irregularities.
Assistant Special Prosecutor III Jorge B. Espinal wrote in the charge sheet that Aaron Foundation was ineligible to take on the projects due to its lack of a business permit and its dubious existence.
At the same time, the implementing agency - TLRC - accepted the NGO and released the funds to it based only on the endorsement of Suplico and Ortiz and not through public bidding or a negotiated procurement, which is needed under R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.
Espinal also faulted Suplico for his "utter lack of effort to ensure the implementation of the projects and the liquidation of public funds," therefore causing undue injury to the government.
Their bail bond has been set at P30,000 each.