Another string of criminal and administrative complaints was filed against Silay City Mayor Jose “Oti” Montelibano and City Administrator Ignacio Salmingo before the Ombudsman for Visayas for the alleged questionable purchase of 16 laptop computers by the city government.

The complaint, lodged by Montelibano's former executive assistant, Jose Lindy Chan, on Feb. 1, also named city legal officer Kara Aimee Quevenco, who sits as the Bids and Awards Committee chairman, and still unidentified persons as respondents.

Last week, Chan, along with Silay resident Jojo Sumiller, also filed complaints against Montelibano, City Administrator Ignacio Salmingo and several others for alleged anomalous purchase of 123 sacks of rice.

Montelibano told the DAILY STAR he and the other respondents are willing to face the charges. “Let him file the case,” he said, but he clarified that there was nothing wrong in the city government's purchase of the laptop computers.

He had earlier said the charges were part of a demolition job against him.

In the latest charge sheet, Chan claimed that Montelibano and the other respondents committed criminal and administrative violations when they made it appear that the procurement of the 16 laptops worth P924,000 from Datalink Technologies Inc. in Bacolod City was done through public bidding when no bidding actually took place.

He cited 11 violations by the respondents. These include violations of the Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Act's Section 10, which provides that “all procurement shall be done through competitive bidding except as provided for Article XVI of this Act” and Section 13, which requires the BAC to invite, in addition to the representative of the Commission on Audit, at least two observers to sit in all stages of the procurement process to enhance the transparency of the process.

Others are for violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; Article 171 (3) of the Revised Penal Code; Article 431 of the Local Government Code of 1991; and Sections 7.1, 39.1 and 62.1 of Republic Act 9184.

Chan also accused the respondents of grave misconduct, dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

He said Quevenco was responsible for recommending to the mayor the award of the contract to Datalink Technologies Inc. while Salmingo reviews all documents and endorses these to the mayor.*NLG

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