Iniutos ng Ombudsman ang pagsasampa ng kasong katiwalian laban kina dating Health Secretary Francisco Duque III at dating Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lao dahil sa umano'y iregularidad sa paglilipat ng mahigit P41 bilyon pondo na ipinambili ng COVID-19 supplies noong Marso 2020.

Sa hiwalay na desisyon sa reklamong administratibo laban sa dalawa, nakita rin ng Ombudsman na guilty sina Duque at Lao ng grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty, at conduct prejudicial to the service.

Ibinasura naman ng Ombudsman ang criminal at administrative complaints kaugnay sa naturang usapin na isinampa laban kina Ma. Carolina V. Taiño, Myrna C. Cabotaje, Roger Tong-an. Leopoldo Vega, Napoleon Arevalo, Enrique Tayag, Filpina Velasquez, Lorica Rabago, at Crispinita Valdez.

Sa 49-pahinang resolusyon na may petsang May 6 na inilabas nitong Biyernes, sinabi ng Ombudsman na labag sa batas ang ginawa ng DOH na ilipat ang P41 bilyon sa Procurement Services ng DBM na pinamumunuan ni Lao.

Pinapayagan lang umano ang PS-DBM na bumili ng common use supplies (CSE), kategorya na hindi sakop ng COVID-19 pandemic supplies na binili mula sa P41-bilyon na alokasyon mula sa DOH.

Sinipi ng Ombudsman, ang 2020 General Appropriations Act na tumutukoy CSE na kasama sa Electronic Catalogue ng PS-DBM.

“There is no indication that when GPPB (Government Procurement Policy Board) Resolution No. 03-2020 was approved on 09 March 2020, or immediately thereafter, the items declared as CSE are already available at the PS-DBM," ayon sa Ombudsman.

"In fact, a 25 March 2020 announcement in the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS), which serves as the central mortal for all procurement information and activities of the Philippine Government, showed that PPEs (personal protective equipment), testing kits and other CSE included items were not available in the PS-DBM,” dagdag nito.

Patuloy pa ng Ombudsman, “Thus, the technical condition set by the CSE definition was not met in this case. Worth stressing is the fact that the advisory is consistent with Lao's testimony [during the Senate hearing] as to the lack of medical items in the PS-DBM's inventory."

"It is evident that DOH did not 'source' the COVID-19-related supplies from PS-DBM but instead 'outsourced' the procurement activity to PS-DBM since the latter's 'store' did not have the medical supplies that DOH intended to buy at the time the fund transfers were made,” saad pa sa resolusyon.

Puna pa ng Ombudsman, maaari naman na ang DOH na mismo ang bumili ng mga COVID-19 supplies.

"In this case, however, the DOH has opted to transfer the funds to PS-DBM in order for the latter to acquire the items needed by the DOH from the suppliers,” ayon sa resolusyon.

“Thus, the resulting arrangement added another layer by bringing in PS-DBM as DOH's Procurement Agent. Instead of a simplified process, the procurement mechanism that involves/PS-DBM became more complicated and therefore, inconsistent with the purpose to hasten project implementation,” patuloy niya.

Ang reklamo laban kina Duque at Lao ay isasampa sa Sandiganbayan.— mula sa ulat ni Llanesca T. Panti/FRJ, GMA Integrated News