THE Office of the Ombudsman on Monday ordered the dismissal of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty over the irregular P50-million procurement of office furniture and fixtures in 2008.
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales also directed the dismissal of then secretary to the mayor Goldwyn Nifras; city budget officer Luzviminda Treyes; department of public services head Nelson Sedillo Sr.; city engineers Belly Aguillon, Aladino Agbones and Jaries Ebenizer Encabo; city accountant Eduardo Ravena, and city treasurer Annabelle Badajos.
Leonardia and the other eight accused were meted out the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from holding public office, forfeiture of retirement benefits, cancellation of civil service eligibility and barred from taking the civil service examination.
“In case any of the respondents are no longer in the service, the penalty is convertible to a fine equivalent to respondent’s one-year salary,” the Ombudsman’s decision read.
The complainant, the Ombudsman’s Public Assistance and Corruption Prevention Office in the Visayas, was able to establish that bidding irregularities were committed by the local officials concerning the 2008 procurement of office furniture and fixtures awarded to Comfac Corp.
The city government paid P49,059,696.81 for the project.
The joint resolution enumerated bidding irregularities — the unlawful conversion of Comfac’s bid security of P500,000 and treating it as the bidder’s performance bond, improper issuance of a mere purchase order for a multimillion peso project instead of a contract as required under the procurement law, failure to exercise due diligence in the computation of liquidated damages against the supplier in view of repeated delays in delivery, and award of contract to a supplier without meeting the eligibility requirements as set by the city as procuring entity.
“As city mayor, Leonardia is duty-bound to exercise general supervision and control over all programs, projects, services and activities of the city government, including examining the books, records and documents of all offices,” according to the decision.
The Ombudsman scored Leonardia, saying “had he performed his supervisory duty, he would have noticed deviations from the requirements of the procurement law and rules, and corrected them.”
Leonardia is set to face trial before the Sandiganbayan for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or Republic Act 3019.