SC affirms dismissal of PNP officials tagged in chopper scam

The Supreme Court has affirmed the Office of the Ombudsman's dismissal from service of high-ranking officials of the Philippine National Police who were allegedly involved in the questioned purchase of second-hand helicopters in 2009.

In a press statement on Thursday, the Ombudsman said it has received a copy of the SC decision on January 15 which reinstates its joint resolution dated May 30, 2012 dismissing then-Directors Leocadio Santiago, Jr. and George Piano.

The High Court also affirmed the removal from office of then-Senior Superintendents Job Nolan Antonio, Edgar Paatan, Mansue Lukban and Claudio Gaspar, Jr.; Chief Superintendents Herold Ubalde and Luis Saligumba; Police Superintendents Ermilando Villafuerte and Roman Loreto; Chief Inspector Maria Josefina Recometa; SPO3 Ma. Linda Padojinog, PO3 Avensuel Dy and Non-uniformed Personnel Ruben Gongona.

They were dismissed in 2012 after the Ombudsman found them guilty of serious dishonesty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

The PNP had supposedly purchased brand-new and fully-equipped Robinson R44 Raven II Light Police Operational Helicopters (LPOHs) worth P42.3 million and two standard Robinson R44 Raven I LPOHs worth P62.7 million from the Manila Aerospace Products Trading Corp. (MAPTRA).

However, Ombudsman investigators found that MAPTRA delivered only one brand-new helicopter: the Robinson Raven II LPOH. The two other choppers were supposedly pre-owned by then-First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Aroyo.

MAPTRA also did not possess the technical and financial eligibility required by law, while the contract for the choppers was allegedly overpriced by P34.6 million.

Arroyo is a co-accused in the case at the Sandiganbayan. He has since denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty of the charges.

Upon receipt of the dismissal order, Piano filed a petition for review at the Court of Appeals which exonerated him from the administrative charges. The Ombudsman raised the matter to the SC after the CA ruling.

In its decision, the High Court said the CA "erred in exonerating [Piano] of the charge of Serious Dishonesty and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service as found by the Ombudsman.”

“Respondent [Piano] is the Chairman of the PNP Inspection and Acceptance Committee (IAC). The IAC plays a very important role in the procurement process of the agency, since it has the responsibility of inspecting the deliveries to make sure they conform to the quantity and approved technical specifications in the supply contract and the purchase order and to accept or reject the same," the SC said.

"Notably, only after the IAC’s final acceptance of the items delivered can be supplier be paid by the PNP,” it added.

The SC took further notice of Piano's role in the crime when he signed a resolution claiming that the helicopters conformed with the approved specifications and "passed the acceptance criteria" of the National Police Commission.

The resolution, which the SC said “is a distortion of truth in a matter connected with the performance of [Piano's] duties,” was contrary to the findings of the PNP Weapons Tactics and Communications Division that the choppers failed to meet the requirements.

The SC said it "will not shirk from its duty of upholding administrative sanctions against erring public servants" such as Piano and his co-accused in the case.

"The 1987 Constitution itself underscores that public office is a public trust and that public officers and employees must, at all times, be accountable to the people," the High Court said.

"This imposes upon the SC the responsibility of holding public officers accountable for their blatant disregard of the high standard of ethics, competence, and accountability demanded of them," it added. — BM, GMA News