Ex-Baliwag mayor indicted for graft

Former Baliwag, Bulacan Mayor Carolina Dellosa has been indicted for graft by the Office of the Ombudsman over the alleged anomalous vehicle purchase she entered in 2013.

Dellosa will be charged for violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act at the Sandiganbayan as stated in a resolution approved by former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on 28 June and released to media on Monday.

A certain Reynaldo dela Cruz had accused Dellosa of approving the purchase of one Mitsubishi MIVEC Active Sports Crossover compact utility vehicle worth P1.2 million through a direct purchase from Freeway Motor Sales of Baliuag Corporation instead of a public bidding.

Dellosa, in her counter-affidavit, said there was no proof of irregularity in the contract, which she said was signed in good faith. She pointed to the Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) for any irregularity.

The Ombudsman, however, said it saw no evidence of undue injury to the government except for Dellosa’s approval of BAC Resolution 15 on the procurement. It showed she favored Freeway due to the resolution’s non-compliance with the Government Procurement Reform Act.

The Ombudsman said the signature of Dellosa on the resolution alone “is indicative of her gross inexcusable negligence, at the very least, if not manifest partiality or evident bad faith.”

“Her approval of BAC Resolution 15 despite the patent violation of R.A. 9184 and its IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) amounts to the giving of an unwarranted benefit, advantage or preference to Freeway as it was awarded the procurement contract without the benefit of a fair system in determining the best possible price for the government,” it said.