THE caterer for the 40,000 inmates of the National Bilibid Prison, Correctional Institute for Women and four other penal colonies filed on Tuesday a graft complaint against a Bureau of Corrections official before the Office of the Ombudsman for alleged irregularities in the bidding process of food supply.
Alvin Navarro, Mang Kiko Catering Services Inc. lawyer-president, accused Dr. Cynthia Andrada, BuCor Reception and Diagnostic Center head and bid and awards committee chairperson, of “illegality” for nullifying a December 2016 bid and ordering a rebid of the food supply for the 40,000 inmates of national penitentiary in Muntinlupa City; CIW in Mandaluyong City; Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan; Leyte Regional Prison in Abuyog, Leyte; San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga City, and Davao Prison and Penal Farm in Davao del Norte.
In a 24-page complaint, Navarro said Andrada must be held liable for violation of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, Executive Order No. 292 or the Administrative Code of 1987, and Section 5 of RA 6713 or Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
“Respondent must be preventively suspended,” the complaint read.
“Andrada disregarded the single largest contract,” Navarro told reporters.
“Why did she allow a rebid when Mang Kiko was awarded to supply food for the other half of the year during last December’s bidding?” he asked.
When asked if BuCor director-general Benjamin delos Santos could also face graft charges, Navarro said Mang Kiko’s legal counsel, Lorna Kapunan, will study his possible liability.
Andrada said a rebidding was necessary since the bidding was ineffective.
Kapunan earlier challenged Andrada, questioning if there was any legal basis for the rebid of the food supply for the 40,000 inmates.
On May 18, BuCor’s bids and awards committee held a bidding for the 2017 catering services for the prisoners of NBP and CIW in the amount of P184,478,400 (lot 1), P91,223,520 (lot 2) and P29,478,840 (lot 3).
Navarro slammed Andrada for “disregarding the single largest completed contract requirement,’ or the contract awarding of the consolidated catering services for Metro Manila and the regional prison colonies between BuCor and Mang Kiko.
For the past 11 years, Mang Kiko has been supplying food for the inmates for three meals at P50 a day per inmate.
Navarro clarified the diarrhea outbreak at the NBP that caused the death of two inmates was not brought about by food poisoning, but by the contaminated water.