Pimentel: If DepEd doesn’t act on allegedly overpriced camera issue, Senate can

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee should launch an investigation into allegedly overpriced cameras procured by the Department of Education if the agency will not take action on these claims, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III said Thursday.

"It's worth looking into and then kasi kung hindi aksyunan ng DepEd 'yan, pwede na aksyunan ng Blue Ribbon 'yan [if the DepEd doesn't act on it, the Blue Ribbon can]," Pimentel said in an online interview.

The lawmaker believes that the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee already has the "expertise" to investigate cases of overpricing because it has already concluded its probe into the outdated and pricey laptops procured by the same department.

"This time palitan lang 'yung laptop ng camera [just exchange the laptops with cameras]," he said.

He explained that the Blue Ribbon panel pursued the investigation into the overpriced DepEd laptops because they "felt" that there was lack of action on the part of the Executive branch.

"Intayin muna natin [Let's give it some time]. Let's give the Department of Education the chance to act on those reports and maybe the [Commission on Audit.] After the passage of a sufficient period of time, makita natin na walang aksyon, tsaka po pwede na tawagin natin na umaksyon ang Senate Blue Ribbon [if we see nothing is being done, then we can urge the Blue Ribbon committee to take action]," he said.

On Wednesday, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said the department will investigate an allegation that it purchased overpriced cameras in 2019.

A photojournalist recently posted a photo of a Canon 1500D camera with a DepEd sticker attached, indicating an acquisition cost of P155,929.

Other details such as the DSLR camera’s serial number, acquisition date, and accountable officer were on the sticker.

Poa said he will look into the matter before giving further comments, saying it is still uncertain which cameras were being compared in the now-deleted post.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) chairperson Vladimer Quetua on Wednesday also called on DepEd, along with Congress and the Commission on Audit (COA), to investigate the matter.

On January 19, the Senate blue ribbon committee released a report into the DepEd’s controversial procurement of laptops for public school teachers in 2021, which showed that the contract for the supply and delivery of the gadgets was overpriced by at least P979 million.

Due to this, the Senate panel recommended graft and perjury charges against some former and current officials of DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management Procurement Service (PS-DBM).

The report has so far reached the plenary, with DepEd committing to cooperate with any proceedings that will ensue. — BM, GMA Integrated News