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Thursday, March 28, 2024

TESDA whistleblower gets death threats

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The whistleblower in the P1.4-billion graft case filed against 11 officials of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority claimed she is receiving death threats.

In a statement, TESDA Specialist II Armina Flora Tayko-Villanueva said she sought the help of the Office of the President and law enforcement agencies after she received numerous threats via phone calls and text messages.

On March 5, Villanueva filed before the Office of the Ombudsman the graft case accusing her colleagues of conspiracy to rig the procurement of special toolkits for TESDA scholars on behalf of their preferred contractor.

The accused were Pilar de Leon, Imelda Ong, Luz Victoria Amponin, Maria Magdalena Butad, Renato Geron, Gaspar Gayona, Dante Navarro, Maria Clara Ignacio, Gracia dela Rama, Conrado Duque and Leonardo Pinac.

Villanueva alleged the 11 officials violated Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices law for conspiring to rig the bidding for the procurement of P1.4 billion worth of starter toolkits on Special Training for Employment Program.

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The 11, former members of the TESDA bids and awards committee, were accused of having caused the delay of the awarding of the contract to the winning bidder, which Villanueva said was compliant with all regulatory requirements.

The 11 invalidated the win of the bidder to cause a rebidding in favor of their long-standing contractor, ACMI, who lost during the first round of the procurement bids due to lack of competency and standing, Villanueva said.

TESDA records show that most of the contracts entered into by the agency had ACMI as third party supplier.

Some of these contracts involved procurement of vehicles, production of printed materials and several others.

Villanueva tagged De Leon, chief of the TESDA administration office, as the mastermind behind what she described as the anomalous rebidding.

On Jan. 25, Villanueva also lodged a formal administrative complaint against these officials before the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission.

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