MANILA – The Sandiganbayan has acquitted the former director of the National Printing Office (NPO) and five others in two graft cases filed by the Ombudsman in 2013 in connection with a 2006 printing contract for Land Transportation Office (LTO) forms and receipts.
The anti-graft court cleared NPO director Felipe Evardone; and Marietta de Guzman, Evelyn Perlado, Miguel Arcadio, Vicente Lago Jr., and Recto Salmo Tomas Jr., members of the agency's Bids and Awards Committee (BAC), according to a 48-page decision dated July 28 and written by Associate Justice Karl Miranda
They were charged by the Ombudsman in 2013 for canceling the Notice of Award to bidder Bestforms Inc. and holding a rebidding where another firm, Ready Forms Inc. (RFI), subsequently won the PHP3.5-million contract.
The court ruled that the BAC was justified in the cancellation of the Notice of Award for Bestforms Inc. which "knowingly violated NPO's rules on security printing, particularly the rules against subcontracting. It also admitted that it was using Class A book paper, instead of security paper, for its printing of jobs".
The firm "did not suffer any undue injury as the damage it suffered may be considered self-inflicted", the decision added.
As for the rebidding on June 14, 2006, the Sandiganbayan said there was no evidence that the officials favored RFI and that three other printing companies participated but submitted higher bids.
"In this case, the Court is convinced that the guilt of the accused was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. The totality of the facts and circumstances demonstrate that they are entitled to acquittal as a matter of course," the tribunal said.
"No civil liability may be adjudged against the accused as the act or omission from which the civil liability might arise did not exist." the court added. (PNA)
