Two former Cebu lawmakers will face trial after the Office of the Ombudsman found that they endorsed an unqualified non-government organization to undertake a government project in 2004 using their combined Priority Development Assistance Fund amounting to P6 million.
The Ombudsman found probable cause to charge former Cebu (2nd District) Rep. Antonio Cuenco and former Cebu (3rd District) Rep. Antonio Yapha, Jr. for violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.”
Co-accused, Regional Executive Director Eduardo Lecciones of the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Unit, was also charged with two counts of graft.
In 2004, Cuenco and Yapha endorsed Kasosyo Foundation Inc. (Kasosyo) to Lecciones as project implementor of their PDAF-related projects.
The services of the foundation were unilaterally engaged without the benefit of public bidding and despite the NGO’s lack of experience.
Using their PDAF funds, Kasosyo then bought 4,000 bottles of liquid fertilizers at P1,500 per bottle, for a total project cost of P6 million.
“Despite Kasosyo’s failure to comply with the legal requirements, respondents Cuenco and Yapha unequivocally endorsed said NGO without providing any reason or justification for their choice and without first ascertaining if the latter was eligible or qualified,” the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman added that “[respondents] performed overt acts of signing endorsement letters, entered into a MOA and approved payments to Kasosyo, all designed to bring fruition the sole objective of making Kasosyo as the project partner which would undertake the farm inputs/farm implements projects.”
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales also ordered its Field Investigation Office to conduct further investigation on the alleged overprice in the procurement of liquid fertilizers.
