Ombudsman slaps graft raps versus ex-TESDA chief Syjuco, several others 

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales on Tuesday ordered the filing of graft charges against former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Augusto Syjuco, Jr. and 11 other members of the agency's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC). 

 

The graft charges stemmed from the anomalous procurement of 250,000 copies of "SALABAT for the Filipino Soul," a career guidance book for school children, which amounted to P9,250,000.00. The purchase, according to the Ombudsman, did not undergo public bidding. 

 

Other than Syjuco, BAC Chairman Santiago Yabut, Jr., BAC Vice-chairman Clifford Paragua, BAC members Marjorie Docdocil, Brenda Furagganan, Ma. Lourdes Villanueva, Procurement and Supply Division Chief Juanito Belda and Senior Administrative Assistant III Glynis June Capoquian-Sionosa face similar charges.

Additionally, representatives of Grand C Graphics, Inc. (Grand C) Alfredo Ching, Jr., Nelson Ching, Rene Rufino and Fahmi Asuncion are also included in the charge. 

 

Instead of a public bidding, Syjuco and TESDA's BAC resorted to the alternative mode of limited source bidding, and subsequently awarded the project to Grand C. 

 

However the Commission on Audit (COA) noted that “there was irregular expenditure in the procurement for the printing of SALABAT” and was “disallowed in audit by COA-TESDA on 21 May 2008.”

 

The COA added that limited source bidding cannot be resorted to “since the printing of books is neither a highly specialized type of goods” and that “the requirement for resorting to limited source bidding was not complied with.” 

 

COA also questioned the processing of payment, delivery and inspection of goods which were completed only in one day. 

 

Other than this graft charge over anomalous procurement of books, Ombudsman Morales earlier approved the filing graft charges against Syjuco and former Representative Judy Syjuco in connection the anomalous disbursement and use of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) amounting to P20,000,000.00 which was coursed through the TESDA and released to and implemented by the Tagipusuon Cooperative, a Syjuco-founded NGO.

 

Earlier in April 2013, graft charges were also filed against Syjuco, Jr. and several TESDA officials in connection with the irregularities in the implementation and disbursement of funds for the Ladderized Education Program (LEPTES) and the Nordic Development Fund-TESDA (NDFTES) projects.  —NB, GMA News