VP and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte orders an investigation regarding the procurement of laptops that are overpriced and outdated.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte ordered an investigation regarding the 2021 procurement of the supposedly overpriced and outdated entry-level laptops through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM)
DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing told reporters that the department has already submitted a fraud audit request to the Commission on Audit (COA) regarding the laptop issue as of August 15.
“Since most of the information is beyond us, considering that these are PS-DBM transactions, and considering that these were transactions done by the previous officials, the Vice president and Secretary Sara Duterte has permitted us to write a letter to Atty. Jose Calida, Chair of COA, to ask him for aCOA fraud audit,” GMA News quoted Densing.
In an audit report by COA last 2021, DepEd was accused of spending P2.4 billion worth of laptops through the PS-DBM even though there were cheaper and better options in the market. The COA also reported that the laptops were
“pricey for an entry-level type laptop” and noted that it “adversely decreased the number of intended beneficiaries from 68,500 to 39,583 public school teachers.”
“Ang tinitingnan po namin ngayon (What we are looking at) is not an official investigation yet, and this is the reason why we are asking COA to do a fraud audit, the reason why it was downgraded from 1.9 gigahertz to 1.8 gigahertz. At the same time tumaas din ang presyo (the price also increased), and why is it [an] Intel Celeron,” Densing added.
Densing also stressed that the DepEd couldn’t answer if there was an anomaly in the laptops that were purchased until the PS-DBM answered the accusations.
“Nung nalaman namin ‘yan, nakakaramdam din kami ng galit kung sakaling totoo ‘yan at ayaw namin itong mangyari. Kaya ang direktiba sa’min ni Secretary Sara na paimbestigahan niyo na ‘yan para makita kung may iba pang kalokohan o wala,” Densing said.
Because of this controversy, Densing said that the DepEd would now purchase materials through its own Procurement Service Team to avoid similar controversies in the future.
DepEd spokesman Atty. Michael Poa said that they would approach the issue on two fronts:
1. to internally evaluate the laptops and make a “quick fix” so they could be used immediately; or to apply legal remedies for it.
2. Should the laptops prove to be not up to par with DepEd’s standards, they would consider invoking the warranty provision in the contract with the laptop supplier.
PS-DBM Executive Director Dennis Santiago said that the department would fully cooperate with authorities in an investigation led by Duterte and seek answers if there were irregularities in the procurement of laptops.
“We will fully cooperate with investigating authorities to address the audit findings of COA, and to determine whether or not there were irregularities and non-compliance with existing laws,” Santiago told GMA News Online. “We do not want to leave any room for suspicion. Hence, we will fully support the conduct of a fair, impartial and independent investigation,” he added.
Santiago directed his office to conduct a thorough examination of COA’s findings, stressing the importance of it to ensure a transparent procurement process. The department has turned over the necessary National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) documents related to the controversy.
Meanwhile, several lawmakers have also filed resolutions that seek to launch a congressional inquiry on the issue.
Tags: #DepEd, #Laptops, #Fraud