Procurement of overpriced face masks, shields premeditated plunder –Drilon

The acquisition of highly-priced face masks and face shields by the Department of Budget and Management’s Procurement Service (PS-DBM) may have been “premeditated plunder,” Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said over the weekend.

In an interview on Super Radyo DZBB, Drilon said there may have been some premeditated efforts by the PS-DBM in the acquisition of the materials, and that it may have been backed by higher officials.

“Sa akin, mukhang plinano itong pandarambong. Sa Revised Penal Code, meron tayong tinatawag na premeditated plunder. Dito po, premeditated plunder. Plinano talaga ang pandarambong,” he said.

“Sa akin, lalo na at in times of pandemic na kulang na kulang ang kaban ng bayan, ito ay treachery o panloloko at panlilinlang sa kaban ng bayan,” he added.

[In my opinion, it seems that this was premeditated. The Revised Penal Code has provisions on premeditated plunder. This is premeditated plunder, this was really planned. Especially in these times of pandemic and government coffers are running low, this is treachery and fraud or deception on public funds.]

In a previous Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Drilon questioned the face masks and face shields acquired by the PS-DBM, as flagged by the state auditors in the 2020 annual audit report.

It was found that PS-DBM bought face masks at P27.22 apiece and face shields at P120 each, which senators said were overpriced. The suggested retail prices were later set at P2 to P4 per face mask, and P26 to P50 per face shield.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier this month said there were supply constraints during the peak of strict lockdowns in March 2020, causing the prices to soar.

“Sa akin, si Lao talagang nagsisinungaling. Sa aming tingin sa senado, may pinagtatakpan siya. Sino kaya? Kami ipipilit namin na ilabas ni Lao kung sino ang kaniyang backer,” Drilon said.

“Mahahalata mo naman kasi unang-una, sinasabi niya na walang nagrekomenda sa kanya sa DBM. Doon pa lang halata nang may pinagtatakpan siya,” he added.

(For me, Lao is lying. In our view in the Senate, he is really covering for someone. Who is it? We will really force Lao to reveal who his backer is. It is obvious because he said no one recommended him to the DBM. From that alone, it is obvious that he is covering for someone.)

The procurement was conducted by the PS-DBM, which was then under the leadership of resigned Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao. He was previously assigned to the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, under Senator Christopher “Bong” Go. Go has since denied that Lao was his former aide.

In the succeeding Senate hearing, Lao admitted that there may be possible negligence on his part in the procurement of face masks and shields, citing the lack of time, resources, and connections during the time.

“[For me], on that admission, pwede na siyang kasuhan sa ilalim ng [he can already be charged under the] anti-graft law. Because of his negligence, the government was prejudiced and damaged by the overpricing,” said Drilon.

“Makikita mo lahat ‘yung badges of fraud kay Lao,” he added.

(You will see all the badges of fraud in Lao.)

Drilon earlier raised the extortion case sought by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission against Lao during his term as head of the Housing and land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB), saying that two major developers were asked to deposit P300 million each in advance. Lao said he was not aware of the extortion case. — DVM, GMA News