The Office of the Ombudsman has filed two counts of graft charges against former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista and his city administrator Aldrin Cuña over the alleged anomalous P25 million solar power installation and computerization projects in 2019.
Based on the first criminal information filed against Bautista and Cuña, the Ombudsman accused the former Quezon City officials of awarding the contract and releasing the P25.3 million payment to Cygnet Energy and Power Asia, Inc. for the solar power system and waterproofing works for the Quezon City Civic Center building even if the Cygnet firm failed to secure a Net Metering System from Meralco.
Such a requirement, the Ombudsman said, is provided under the Terms of Reference and the Supply and Delivery Agreement for the said project numbered 1905-55463.
The other graft charge filed against the accused involves the P32 million project awarded to Geodata Solutions Inc. for the procurement of an online Occupational Permitting and Tracking System which did not have the specific appropriation ordinance enacted by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
The Ombudsman said that such actions are in violation of Section 3 of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act or “Giving any private party any unwarranted benefits, advantage or preference in the discharge of his official administrative or judicial functions through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence.”
The Ombudsman recommended a bail bond of P90,000 each for Bautista and Acuña for each of the graft cases.
GMA News Online has sought Bautista’s comment but the former mayor has yet to reply. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
