Ex-Iloilo governor Tupas Sr., 3 others charged with graft

Former Iloilo governor Niel Tupas Sr. and three other officials of the provincial government were charged with graft in connection with the alleged anomalous payment of a private company for the provincial government’s unconsummated electricity worth P4 million.

 

In a complaint filed before the Sandiganbayan last week, made available to the media on Tuesday, the Office of the Ombudsman charged Tupas and three other high-ranking officials of Iloilo government of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

 

Charged with Tupas were provincial accountant Lyd Tupas, assistant department head of the office of the provincial accountant Sandra Bionat, and general services department head Ramie Salcedo.

 

The Ombudsman, in its complaint, said Tupas and the other respondents used their respective positions in “conspiring with one another” to give “unwarranted benefit, advantage and preference” to the private company Green Core Geothermal, Inc. by approving the release of a total of P4,007,111.91 to the company between the period of December 2009 to April 2010.

 

The case stemmed from the 2007 contract between the Iloilo government and the National Power Corporation (NPC), which was later assumed by NPC’s successor Green Core, for the bulk supply of electricity from September 26, 2007 to December 25, 2011, to facilitate the construction of the Iloilo Multi-Purpose Convention Center.

 

In indicting the respondents last year, the Ombudsman said that while the construction of the convention center did not push through, the provincial government still paid Greencore a total of P5.88 million for the billing period of December 2009 to April 2010 even when the actual electricity consumption of the province for that period only amounted to P1.88 million.

 

“This is to certify that a preliminary investigation has been conducted in this case, that there is a sufficient ground to engender a well-founded belief that the crime charged has been committed, and that the accused are probably guilty thereof,” the Ombudsman said in a certification attached in the complaint filed before the Sandiganbayan.

 

The case was raffled off on Friday last week and went to the Fifth Division of the anti-graft court.

 

Tupas Sr. is the father of incumbent Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr.

 

The younger Tupas is also facing a complaint before the Ombudsman in connection with the alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel. —ALG, GMA News