MANILA, Philippines – House lawmakers moved on Monday, September 2, to compel the Department of Education to release all bidding documents in relation to the DepEd Computerization Program in 2022 and 2023, when Vice President Sara Duterte was still head of the agency.
Batangas 2nd District Representative Gerville “Jinky” Luistro introduced a motion to issue a subpoena duces tecum to DepEd, which the appropriations committee approved without objections.
“I wish to know also the feedback of the teachers, because I surmise that maybe these computers are not in good condition anymore,” Luistro said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“I wish to manifest as well that if we are able to establish findings based on the documents to be submitted to us, then I recommend that we initiate a separate investigation on this,” she added.
The development came after Ako Bicol Representative Jil Bongalon raised possible irregularities in the procurement in 2023 of laptop and other ICT materials under the DepEd Computerization Program, which had a budget of over P11 billion each in 2022 and 2023, based on the General Appropriations Act.
Based on information he obtained, there were 16 lots for the contract, but only two lots passed, and only one bidder won. Another round of bidding was supposedly conducted for the other 14 lots because the bidders were initially disqualified.
“I have information that during that [first] bidding, the variance was 24%. If this is translated into cash, this would amount to P1.6 billion,” Bongalon said. He added that, after rebidding, the variance was reduced to 1%, even though the initially disqualified bidders passed the review during the second round of procurement.
“I can’t say, I don’t know what happened. It’s up to the bidders how they will bid. Our role is to evaluate the documents,” DepEd Undersecretary for Procurement Gerard Chan replied. “During the rebid, they were able to correct their mistakes. And during the rebid, prices might have changed.”
Bongalon believes someone intervened during the bidding process.
“Probably, there is an irregularity,” Bongalon said in a mix of English and Filipino. “There was bidding, but I don’t understand why we did not push through. We could have saved P1.6 billion. How many laptops could we have bought if let’s say each laptop costs P100,000?”
“In other words, the bidding was rigged,” he added.
Rappler reached out to Vice President Duterte’s office, which has yet to provide this news outlet with an official response to the accusations.
Vice President Duterte led DepEd from the start of the new administration in June 2022 until her resignation from the agency and the Cabinet in June this year, as the political alliance she built with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. crumbled.
She was replaced by former senator Sonny Angara, who came to Monday’s deliberations to defend DepEd’s budget proposal for 2025 worth P793.1 billion, including automatic appropriations.
– Rappler.com