THE Court of Appeals has ordered the reinstatement of 19 police officials after clearing them of administrative liability in 2009 in connection with the purchase of rubber boats for P4.54 million for search and rescue missions.
The court’s Eleventh Division reversed the resolution that the Office of the Ombudsman issued on June 2, 2015, that found them guilty of graft and ordered their dismissal.
The court ordered the officials reinstated and their salaries and benefits restored after the Ombudsman failed to present evidence to prove that the officials benefited from the deal.
In its ruling last year, the Ombudsman held that the boats were procured without public bidding and despite noticeable defects.
The Ombudsman also charged two officials of Four Petals Trading, the supplier of the rubber boats, with graft but the appellate court also cleared them.
The court held that the purchase of the rubber boats through a negotiated procurement was justified in light of the emergency caused by the onslaught of Typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” in 2009.
“In this regard, petitioners, who have been in the police service for at least 30 years, most of whom are decorated members of the police force, in their bid to provide swift, adequate and reliable services to the people during a state of calamity and thereafter, could not be said to have committed grave misconduct imputed against them,” the CA said.