Apas brgy officials, BAC members face corruption charges for P3M garbage truck purchase

The bidding papers of Barangay Apas in Cebu City in the procurement of two garbage trucks in 2019. | Delta Letigio

CEBU CITY, Philippines –A resident has accused Apas barangay captain Virgil “Jingjing” Cabigon and members of the barangay council and the bids and awards committee of overpricing and giving preference to a private supplier.

Mathan Jechoniah Serena said that barangay officials led by Cabigon allowed the payment of P3 million for the acquisition of two garbage trucks through negotiated purchase in 2019.

He said that entering into a negotiated purchase with a “preferred supplier” is in violation of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act that calls for the conduct of bidding in government purchases.

Serena wrote the Cebu City Council to seek the conduct of a formal against Apas officials. His letter will be discussed during the Council session this Wednesday afternoon, May 27, 2020.

The Apas resident said that he also plans to file a criminal complaint against their barangay officials soon.

But Cabigon has denied the accusation against him.  He told CDN Digital that they chose to purchase garbage trucks from a Mandaue City-based supplier following the failure of the bidding which they earlier called.

He said that most of the suppliers, who expressed their desire to supply the needed garbage trucks also offered their products at P3.6 million, which is way above their P3 million budget.

“Nagnegotiated procurement nalang mi og ginangyo nalang gani na namo nga P3 million ra ang duha ka truck,” he told CDND.

(We decide to venture into a negotiated procurement [after the bidding failed] and we even asked for a discount and only pay P3 million for the two trucks.)

To prove his corruption charge, Serena attached to his letter complaint a copy of bid documents which Barangay Apas posted on the Philippine Government Electronic Procurement System (PHILGEPS) website in September 2019 for the acquisition of two garbage trucks worth P3 million. 

He also included in his complaint affidavit the specifications for the purchase which included the engine and chassis number of the six-wheeler trucks that the barangay needed.

“The foregoing act of respondents in specifically indicating the brand name, engine numbers, and chassis numbers are in direct violation of Section 18 of Republic Act No. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act which expressly prohibits reference to brand names specifications based on irrelevant requirements that will limit procurement to a specific brand,” Serena said. 

Serena said that even the barangay’s declaration of failure of bidding was staged because only their Mandaue-based supplier submitted his bid documents.

Cabigon admitted that their barangay was desperately in need of a new garbage truck last year after their existing truck started to become dysfunctional.

While insisting that they complied with the required bidding process, Cabigon said they later found a supplier who offered them an “affordable choice” after their attempt to invite other bidders failed.

He said that the brand name, engine number, and other specs of the trucks may have been mistakenly posted along with the bidding documents.

“Di ko mahadlok ana ilang kaso kay kahibaw kong wala namo gikawat ang kwarta, wala namo gicorrupt,” he said.

(I am not afraid of the case filed against me because I know that we did not steal the money and there was no corruption involved in the purchase of the trucks.)