Ombudsman indicts ex-DepEd chief Briones, officials for graft due to ‘overpriced’ laptops

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In 2023, a Senate probe found that the laptops, aside from being overpriced, were procured irregularly and not beneficial to teachers and students

MANILA, Philippines – The Office of the Ombudsman has indicted former Department of Education (DepEd) secretary Leonor Briones and other government officials for graft and falsification over the overpriced laptops controversy.

In a resolution dated December 2, 2024, the Ombudsman said it found probable cause to recommend the filing of a charge for alleged violation of section 3(e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against the following officials:

DepEd

• Briones
• Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla
• Undersecretary Alain Pascua
• Assistant Secretary Salvador Malana III
• Abram Yap Chai Abanil (director)
• Marcelo Bragado (director)
• Alec Serquina Ladanga (executive assistant)
• Selwyn Carillo Briones (administrative officer)

Procurement Service – Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM)

• Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao
• Jasonmer Lagarto Uayan (director)
• Ulysses Evangelista Mora (procurement management officer)
• Marwan Amil (procurement management officer)
• Paul Armand Abando Estrada (procurement management officer)
• Froilan Domingo (public respondent)

The Ombudsman also indicted the following for falsification by public officers (under article 171 of the Revised Penal Code): Briones, Lao, Sevilla, Bragado, Malana, Uayan, and Ladanga. The body also indicted Lao, Uayan, and Sevilla for perjury.

“The charges of perjury against respondents Alain del Bustamante Pascua and Salvador Cacatian Malana III and violation of Section 3(a) and (g) of RA 3019 against all the respondents are DISMISSED,” the resolution read.

In a different but related case, the Ombudsman also found some officials guilty of administrative offenses in a resolution dated May 31, 2024.

“WHEREFORE, there being substantial evidence, this Office finds ANNALYN MACAM SEVILLA and MARCELO H. BRAGADO guilty of Grave Misconduct, Serious Dishonesty, and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service; and ULYSSES EVANGELISTA MORA, MARWAN OMAR AMIL and PAUL ARMAND ABANDO ESTRADA guilty of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Prejudicial to the Best Interest of the Service, and are meted with the penalty of Dismissal from the Service, including all accessory penalties attached thereto,” the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman, meanwhile, junked the administrative cases against Pascua, Malana, Ladanga, Abanil, Selwyn Briones, Lao, and Uayan for lack of jurisdiction.

The cases stemmed from the DepEd’s allegedly anomalous transactions related to tablets and mobile loads for students and laptops for teachers. The Senate blue ribbon committee held an investigation into the transactions and found that the procurement were “highly arbitrary, unjustified, improper and not beneficial to the DepEd teachers and students.”

It also found that the PS-DBM had no legal authority to act as procurement agent on behalf of DepEd. In addition, the committee also said that “serious irregularities” were committed at all stages of the procurement, making the laptops’ purchasing “defective and highly irregular.”

“The laptops procured were overpriced and the contract executed to supply said laptops caused undue injury to and was grossly disadvantageous to the government,” the Senate panel added. – Rappler.com