MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education vowed to cooperate with the Office of the Ombudsman after several of its former officials, including its then secretary Leonor Briones, were charged with graft for alleged overpricing of laptops.
Briones, former undersecretaries Annalyn Sevilla and Alain del Pascua, former assistant secretary Salvador Malana, former Budget undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, several former DepEd directors and Bids and Awards Committee members, and the authorized representative of the joint venture where the Department procured the alleged laptops were charged before the Office of the Ombudsman for violations of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices act, falsification of public officers under Article 171, and perjury under Article 183, both of the Revised Penal Code.
The case stemmed from a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee report sent by its former chairman, Sen. Francis Tolentino, which found that the Department procured more than 36,000 units of laptops worth P58,300 that had lower specifications than the one required by the DepEd, making it overpriced and outdated.
In a statement, DepEd Media Relations Chief Dennis Legaspi said that the officials that were subjected to the charges no longer hold any position or maintain any connection with the Department.
He added that DepEd was committed to cooperate with 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 public’s interests,” Legaspi added.
