Group asks Ombudsman, DOH to resolve complaints vs. NCMH exec

A group of concerned citizens has asked the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Health (DOH) to resolve criminal and administrative complaints against former chief administrative officer of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH), Dr. Clarita Avila.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Pinoy Aksyon for Governance and the Environment (Pinoy Aksyon) accused Avila of being behind the grant of P14.9 million worth of NCMH government contracts to a firm identified as Octant Builders where Avila supposedly serves as one of the incorporators.

"We appeal to the Ombudsman and the DOH to resolve the cases vs Avila. At this time of COVID-19 pandemic, the government needs to show the people how strong [the] force of the rule of law is, if only to assuage the public that government is there to serve and protect,” Em Ross Guangco, Pinoy Aksyon’s spokesperson, said.

Avila was the same NCMH official who was reassigned to the Drug Abuse Treatment and Rehabilitation Center in Las Piñas after revealing NCMH's lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) sets which had resulted in at least 34 NCMH health workers infected with COVID-19.

Pinoy Aksyon then argued that Avila’s refusal to leave her NCMH post even after the DOH ordered her transfer violates the DOH's orders and the rules and regulations set by the Civil Service Commission.

In July 2019, former EAMC medical head and now National Center for Mental Health chief Rolando Cortez, with assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), sued Avila before the Office of the Ombudsman for graft and malversation due to her involvement with Octant Builders, which had secured infrastructure projects from the NCMH from 2013 to 2018.

Cortez alleged that Avila, in her capacity as Chief Administrative Officer of NCMH, conspired with her fellow NCMH officials to award the contract to build the Pavilion 6 to Octant Builders wherein Avila serves as an incorporator per an informant of the NBI.

“NCMH Accounting, Budget, Cashier, Bids and Awards (BAC) as well as Personnel were lumped under the Administrative Service which is headed by a Clarita Avila. As a result of the consolidation of incompatible positions under the umbrella of Administrative Service, Avila was able to control the operations of NCMH,” Cortez said in his complaint.

“This is to the extent that she can manipulate the outcome of procurement of goods, services and even the infrastructure projects. The project was awarded to Octant Builders, and the latter was subsequently paid, despite lacking documents to support the Disbursement Vouchers,” Cortez added.

Others who are facing the same complaints are Dionisio Tolentino, NCMH’s Chief, Finance Service; Dulce Valerio, NCMH’s Chief Accountant; Godofredo Valles, NCMH’s Head Budget Section  and Rowena Manzano, President of Octant Builders.

Last February, the NBI also filed with the Ombudsman fresh charges against Avila and 19 other officials and employees of the NCMH over the procurement and payment of a CT Scan Project worth P30 million in 2017.

The NBI said its complaint stemmed from a complaint filed by the Employees Association of NCMH.

Sought for comment, Avila said that cases filed against her involving Octant Builders had already been dismissed by the Metropolitan Trial Court and the Regional Trial Court. “They are resurrecting an issue 20 years ago,” Avila told GMA News Online in a text message.

Avila then said that it is Cortez who has to answer for corruption charges pending before the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division, over the supply of medical supplies totaling P10.6 million, and purchase of airconditioning units and exhaust fans worth P450,000, all in 2006.

“I suggest for him to attend and contain the rising numbers of infected NCMH employees (85) and psychiatric patients (30) positive for COVID-19 rather than picking on me all the time. [He is engaged in] too much politicking than addressing problems in the hospital,” Avila added. -MDM, GMA News