Cebu City barangay officials face complaint over procurement of dump trucks

The Barangay Captain and members of the barangay’s bids and awards committee (BAC) of Barangay Apas in the City of Cebu are facing a complaint over the procurement of two dump trucks.

As per the administrative complaint filed by Matthan Serana, former Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) councilor of Apas and now mayor’s information and liaison officer (Milo), the barangay officials allegedly violated Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act and Section 3, Paragraph (e) of R.A. No. 3019 or The Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Included as respondents of the complaint were Apas Barangay Captain Virgil Cabigon, six incumbent councilors, three members of the technical working group of BAC, the SK chairman, barangay secretary and treasurer.

Serana, in his complaint, stated that Cabigon posted on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PhilGEPS) two invitations to bid (ITBs) on Sept. 26, 2019 with procurement mode through public bidding.

The barangay hall procured two dump trucks amounting to P3 million to be used as garbage trucks.

Upon further inquiry, Serana was surprised that the ITB reflected the specifications of both units, indicating the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers.

Serana said the scheduled bidding did not push through due to the failure of the suppliers to attend and the officials, later on, proceeded with the negotiated procurement after two failed biddings and awarded the two units of trucks to an “alleged favored” supplier.

The trucks were delivered to the barangay in November 2019, said Serana.

He then found out that the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers posted in the ITB in September matched those of the trucks delivered to the barangay in November.

“The foregoing acts of respondents in specifically indicating the brand name, engine numbers and chassis numbers is in direct violation of Section 18 of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act which expressly prohibits reference to brand name specifications based on irrelevant requirements that will limit procurement to a specific brand,” he stated.

The following prayers were stated in the administrative complaint, for respondents to be preventively suspended; be charged for grave misconduct; indictment of respondents for violation of Section 3 (e) of R.A. 3019; and such reliefs just and equitable under the circumstances.

SunStar Cebu tried to get the side of Cabigon but he refused to provide a statement. (Content reposted from SunStar Cebu)

Map: Baragay Apas, Cebu City  (From Google).