VP Sara urges Ombudsman to investigate laptop corruption at DepEd

Vice President Sara Duterte said on Tuesday that former Ako Bicol Partylist Rep. Zaldy Co is allegedly involved in the corruption involving laptops in the Department of Education.

Duterte said Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla should also look into the allegation, adding that confidential funds were used in the investigation of the overpriced laptop procurement.

The vice president alleged that it was Co’s firm that served as contractors for the laptops, "Sunwest ang contractor ng laptop doon sa DepEd." 

(Sunwest is the contractor of the laptop there at DepEd.) 

“Kung talaga seryoso ang Ombudsman sa pagiimbestiga, imbestigahan din nila yung laptop corruption scandal ng Department of Education, nandoon si Zaldy Co," Duterte said in a press conference.

"Alam ko 'yun dahil gumawa kami ng sarili naming investigation sa loob ng Department of Education noong ako ay Department of Education secretary. May I just say na mayroong confidential funds na pumunta doon sa paghahanap ng ebidensya sa imbestigasyon na ‘yun,” she added.

(If the Ombudsman is truly serious about investigating, they should also investigate the Department of Education's laptop corruption scandal; Zaldy Co is involved there. I know that because we conducted our own investigation within the Department of Education when I was the Secretary of Education. May I just say that there were confidential funds allocated for the investigation.)

GMA News Online is reaching out to Remulla and Co for comments.

Former Ombudsman Samuel Martires earlier ordered the filing of graft and falsification charges against former Education Secretary Leonor Briones and former Budget Undersecretary Christopher Lao over the P2.4 billion worth of laptops purchased, which were deemed "pricey" by the Commission on Audit.

The laptops, priced at P58,300 each with an outdated Celeron processor, were purchased by the DepEd for the implementation of distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Ombudsman also recommended the filing of charges against several former DepEd and DBM officials involved in the transaction.  –NB, GMA Integrated News