Ex-Isabela Gov. Dy charged for graft over questioned purchase of farm gear

Former Isabela Governor Faustino Dy Jr. has been charged with graft before the Sandiganbayan over his alleged role in the anomalous purchase of farming machines.

Ombudsman prosecutors filed one count of violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against Dy.

His co-accused in the case include then-provincial agriculturist Danilo Tumamao, provincial accountant Pete Gerald Lapuebla Javier, provincial treasurer William Dadez Nicolas Sr., provincial administrator and Provincial Bids and Awards Committee (PBAC) chairman Dionisio Eugenio Bala Jr.

Former PBAC members Alfredo Mendoza and Medardo Aggari, provincial budget officer Leticia Mabbayad, and provincial legal officer Don Antonio Marie Ventura Abogado were also named as public respondents.

In 2004, Dy and his co-accused allegedly acted with "evident bad faith, manifest partiality and/or gross inexcusable negligence" when they conspired with one another and with private respondent Olivia Rosales for the purchase of P8 million worth of farming machines from Equity Machineries Incorporated.

The contract for the procurement of four units of Massey Ferguson Model 445 and four units of ACT Trailing Harrow model 20x24 was awarded to Equity Machineries without public bidding, the Ombudsman said.

The Ombudsman said the respondents also violated the Government Procurement Reform Act when they referred to the brand names Massey Ferguson and ACT Trailing Harrow and approved the payment to the private firm "despite the irregularities in the procurement, thereby causing undue injury to the provincial government of Isabela."

A bail bond of P30,000 has been recommended for the provisional liberty of each respondent. —NB, GMA News