DepEd vows to cooperate with Ombudsman amid order to file graft charges vs. Briones, Lao

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday said it is fully committed to cooperating with the Office of the Ombudsman after its order to file graft and falsification charges against former Education Secretary Leonor Briones, former Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lao, and several former education officials regarding the “pricey” P2.4 billion laptops purchased in 2020.

“DepEd reiterates its full commitment to cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman in the expeditious and fair resolution of this case. The Department is ready to provide all necessary documents, information, and other forms of assistance to ensure accountability and to protect the interest of the public,” DepEd said in a statement.

DepEd said it was already informed of the filing of an Information for Violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Falsification by Public Officers under Article 171 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC), and Perjury under Article 183 of the RPC against several of its former officials.

“Officials subject of the charges no longer hold any position in or maintain any connection with the Department,” DepEd said.

The laptops, priced at P58,300 each with an outdated Celeron processor, were purchased by the Department of Education for the implementation of distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was deemed “pricey” by the Commission on Audit.

“The new bidding parameters, i.e. lower quantity and higher unit price, were reflected in the bidding documents and was used in the bidding process... These parameters facilitated the overprice and the consequent undue injury and gross disadvantage to the government,” the Ombudsman said. 

The Ombudsman said that the approved series of requests for extensions to deliver the laptops, requests to change payment terms, and other adjustments to the contract terms and conditions which, taken together, “betray an unusually deferential treatment and favor towards the Joint Venture consortium.”

The Ombudsman added that the DepEd supply officers often received feedback stating that the computers they had purchased were:

• overpriced vis-à-vis the outdated or inferior technical specifications;
• unable to handle multiple applications at the same time;
• defective or fast-draining battery; 
• quite slow to boot-up; and
• immediately returned by the recipients, who opted to wait for better laptop models.

—Jamil Santos/ VAL, GMA Integrated News