MANILA, Philippines — Former Lucena City mayor Ramon Talaga Jr. has urged the Sandiganbayan Third Division to reconsider its decision sentencing him to up to eight years of imprisonment in connection with the allegedly anomalous awarding of a P36-million computerization project to an unqualified service provider in 2002. Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2010, the graft case stemmed from the alleged anomalous awarding of a P36-million contract for the computerization of the city government's Revenue Generation System in 2002. The ombudsman said the respondents resorted to “selective/limited source procurement” instead of holding a competitive public bidding in violation of RA 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act. Talaga said Section 48 of RA 9184 even allows limited source bidding in justified circumstances. “Accused were able to show that limited source bidding was only resorted to after having provided other bidders equal opportunity to present their proposals to the City,” Talaga's appeal read.

Source: Philippine Star November 04, 2017 07:52 UTC