State prosecutors have charged former Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) president Benjamin Tayabas and 12 other officials with buying a P1.11 million Hyundai Starex van without conducting a public bidding in 2006. The 13 officials were accused by the Ombudsman in the Sandiganbayan of violating Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act for allegedly giving undue preference to Hyundai Quezon Avenue Inc. in June 2006. According to the complaint filed on March 3 and signed by Assistant State Prosecutor Ma. Lourdes Mendoza, the failure to hold a public bidding violated the Government Procurement Reform Act and denied the city-run university the opportunity to obtain the most advantageous offer. Prosecutors recommended that bail be set at P30,000 each for the accused.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer March 16, 2017 17:48 UTC