15 April, 2014

The Office of the Ombudsman has recommended graft charges against 18 former and incumbent officials for supposedly favoring a firm in a port operation deal.

In a resolution approved last week, the Ombudsman ordered the indictment of top SBMA officials, led by former chairman Feliciano Salonga, for having “displayed manifest partiality” in granting Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI) a contract to operate four ports in 2010.

The Ombudsman said the SBMA “resorted to procedural shortcuts and undertook material deviations, including changes in the eligibility requirements” to enable HCPTI to secure the deal, which also included the operation and management of the Naval Supply Depot in Subic.

“By changing the project cost after the publication of the Invitation to Submit Comparative Proposals and imposing additional eligibility requirements, it appears that respondents manipulated the process by enabling HCPTI to post a significantly lower bid security and, at the same time, discouraging prospective partners from participating in the competitive challenge by imposing conditions for participation based on the higher project cost,” the Ombudsman’s resolution stated.

In the same resolution, the Ombudsman also ordered the dismissal of incumbent SBMA senior deputy administrator Ferdinand Hernandez and deputy administrator Marcelina Sanqui for grave misconduct.

The other SBMA officials facing graft charges are former administrator and CEO Armand Arreza, and former deputy administrator Ma. Cristina Millan.

The following former board members have also been ordered charged:

The Ombudsman also ruled that HCPTI owners Reghis and Michael Romero “acted in conspiracy” and “came to an agreement concerning the commission of a felony” in connection with the allegedly anomalous port deal. 
Andreo Calonzo
JDS, GMA News